/https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5f21a3b96ff7045333053876/0x0.jpg?w=1200&resize=1200,798&ssl=1 "4 Houston Police Officers Fired For Shooting Man Dead While He Appeared To Be On His Knees")
Topline
Four Houston police officers have been fired for their involvement in the killing of 27-year-old Nicolas Chavez, who died after officers shot him while he appeared to be on his knees, sparking outrage and protest in the city.
A woman wearing a “Pray For America” face mask waits in line to attend the public viewing for George … [+]
AFP via Getty Images
Key Facts
Chavez was killed on April 21 following a 14-minute confrontation with Houston police officers.
Cell phone video shot from a distance appears to show Chavez on his knees at the time officers shot him, but officials from the Houston Police Officers’ Union claim that Chavez was reaching for a taser when officers opened fire.
Body camera footage is expected to be released Thursday afternoon, according to the Houston Chronicle, showing some of what are at least 70 recorded angles of the shooting.
Chavez’s widow, Jessica Chavez, has said that her husband was in the midst of a “bipolar episode” when police shot him, adding that he was unsettled after missing out on a job opportunity.
His death sparked protests in Houston over overuse of force, a claim that the Police Officers’ Union denies.
Chief Critic
“They followed policy, training, and the law…still fired,” Houston Police Officers’ Union president Joe Gamaldi said Thursday.
Critical Quote
“It was an execution,” Chavez’s father, Joaquín Chavez, said.
Key Background
Police officers were responding to 911 calls of a man acting erratically and in a threatening manner, jumping fences and running in front of cars. Chavez is one of eight people that Houston police have killed so far in 2020.
Further Reading
Houston police to release body cam video of deadly Nicolas Chavez shooting (Houston Chronicle)
“It was an execution”: Nicolas Chavez was on his knees when Houston police killed him. His father wants answers. (Texas Tribune)
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