Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Released Tuesday body camera video Minutes and shootout leading up to police and shootout 60 year old female At home in South Charlotte last August.
A woman, Brenda Donahue, was shot dead by CMPD officers. This video captures the moment a CMPD officer is shot by Donahue. Donahue is believed to have survived when a bullet pierced a camera device her policeman wore on her chest.
Police were at Donahue’s home to issue an involuntary commitment order. Officials said in a video statement also released on Tuesday that they were not informed in advance that Donahue had a gun.
Involuntary Commitment Orders are enforced by police officers on the order of a judge when a person with mental health problems is deemed a danger to themselves or others.
Donahue opened fire on three police officers on August 19, one of whom was shot in the chest. She died in hospital six days after her death.
The Charlotte Observer previously reported that the shooting occurred shortly after 5:30 p.m. at a house on Block 8900 St. Croix Lane near Four Mile Creek Road in the Raintree community.
Footage shows a police officer standing outside the home and talking to a male resident of the home for approximately two minutes. The man said Donahue was asleep, and the officer explained that she had to come with them either voluntarily or handcuffed.
A male resident leads them inside and shows them Donahue’s room. In the video, the door appears closed and several officers are seen on the narrow stairs leading to the room, trying to talk to Donahue through the door first.
A policeman who entered the house first and was standing near Donahue’s bedroom door said, “It’s the police, ma’am. Can you open the door for me?” I immediately heard gunshots coming from the door.
According to footage, officers were attempting to contact Donahue inside the house, but it took less than 15 seconds.
The first shot hit one officer in the chest and knocked out her body camera.
The officers hurried down the stairs and took cover. Inaudible screams and additional shots can be heard in the video, which police say are also from Donahue.
About 30 to 40 seconds after the first shot was fired, Donahue left the room with her gun and looked over the railing, where Officer Brandon Graham shot her, police officials said.
That moment is absent from the body-worn camera footage released Tuesday. In the video, Graham can be heard talking to someone else shortly after Donahue has a gun and is pointing in his direction over the stair railing.
A male resident tried to re-enter the house after hearing gunshots, but police yelled at him to stay outside.
“Did you shoot her?” the man yells at Officer Graham.
“She was pointing the gun at me. Get out, NOW!” Graham replies.
Donahue was shot in the head and officers attempted medical assistance for her until a medic arrived. is showing.
In a video statement accompanying the release of the video on Tuesday, Sgt. CMPD’s Stephen Winterhalter said he was actively threatening police officers after Donahue shot them through his bedroom door and left the room with a gun. According to Winterhalter, police followed training procedures and did not immediately fight back, running to cover before Donahue could emerge from the room.
The North Carolina Bureau of Investigation investigated the shooting, CMPD said. Now that the SBI investigation is complete, the use of force and the fatal shooting are still under investigation by the Mecklenburg District Attorney’s Office.
CMPD officers were involved another shoot On Saturday, they shot the man as he was about to issue another involuntary commitment order. I received multiple calls about
Officials on Saturday shot the man and gave aid to the subject of the unwilling pledge and another person in the house, officials said.