CONCORD, N.C. — On Friday, Channel 9 got an exclusive look at body camera video from the day a man was shot by police after allegedly firing at officers inside Concord Mills mall. The man died days after he was shot, investigators said.
Officers initially responded to the mall on Aug. 31 for reports of three people stealing a credit card. When officers approached, the suspects ran back into the mall. During a chase through the mall, authorities said Dominic Jeter, 23, fired several shots at the officers. Police returned fire, hitting Jeter.
Concord Police Chief Gary Gacek said Jeter was taken to a hospital in critical condition, but died from his injuries a few days later.
Officers Jeremy Howarth and Maria Westphal were involved in the shooting.
On the day of the shooting, the officers confronted three suspects outside the mall.
The officers demanded that the suspects stop but they ran toward Concord Mills.
It appeared the officers did not have their guns drawn.
Two of the suspects continued running toward Concord Mills and into an abandoned store.
The officers’ body-camera video shows Jeter armed with a gun and pointing it at Westphal.
Officers commanded that Jeter drop the gun.
“Drop the gun. Do it. Drop the gun,” the officers yelled.
One officer took a position, which gave him some cover as Jeter took cover behind a lift.
You can hear a shot in the video footage.
Police then opened fire.
The exchange happened so quickly it’s hard to tell who fired first.
Channel 9 veteran crime reporter Glenn Counts slowed the video down and you hear the first shot.
A bullet ricochets off the floor near officer Westphal and that was when police fired their weapons, striking the suspect.
Officials said Westphal had been with the department for two years, and Howarth had been with the department for two months.
Per the department’s policy, both officers were placed on administrative duty after the shooting. They have returned to their job since the incident.
(WATCH BELOW: Concord Mills reopens; police ID 2 suspects after officer-involved shooting inside mall)
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