Photo via Berkeley Police Department
VICE News is closely watching policing in America. Check out the Officer Involved blog here.In a press conference Tuesday, Berkeley, Missouri police chief Frank McCall said that Antonio Martin, a black teen fatally shot by police, had pointed a gun at officers at the gas station parking lot where he was killed."Mr. Martin was armed", said McCall. "Mr. Martin did attempt to fire when he pulled a weapon on the officer, pointed [it] at the officer. The officer, in fear of his life, retreated and while doing so fired approximately three rounds."Martin was shot on the night of December 23 after he reportedly tried to fire a gun that, according to McCall, did not fire because the safety was on. The officer, an unnamed 34-year-old, shot three times, hitting the teen once. Police had been called to the Mobil station to investigate a reported theft. The police chief said that Martin matched the description of the robbery suspect.Grainy footage has been used by police to corroborate reports that the teen was armed.The city of Berkeley is conducting an ongoing investigation into the shooting, that led to rowdy protests at the site of Martin's death.Enhanced surveillance footage of the incident, released by police, can be seen below:
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