WASHINGTON — Two police departments have publicly released body-worn camera footage of a fatal shooting that claimed a D.C. teenager’s life last month.
Both US Park Police (USPP) and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) released separate videos of the shooting of Dalaneo Martin around 3 pm.
The 17-year-old D.C. resident died, on March 18, after an USPP officer shot him on the 300 block of 36th Street Northeast in D.C.’s River Terrace neighborhood.
Prior to the release of the body-worn camera footage, authorities claimed officers from both departments found Martin sleeping inside a stolen car, with its ignition running in the 3400 block of Baker Street Northeast.
The USPP released three different body-worn camera videos of the incident. Two videos show the raw camera footage of two respective USPP officers who were on site of the shooting. The other video is edited by the department.
In the video, viewers can see an MPD officer approach the back of the white car that Martin was found in. An MPD officer opens the door on the side opposite the driver to reveal Martin sleeping near the wheel.
Editor's Note: WUSA9 has chosen not to post the video due to its graphic nature, but it is available on the U.S. Park Police website.
Later on, when Martin wakes up and drives off from the scene, a USPP officer on the driver side of the car, toward the back seat, is thrown off toward the roadway. The other USPP officer is shown to still be inside the car, in the back seat, on the side opposite the driver.
In the video, the remaining USPP officer can be heard saying "Stop. Stop or I'll shoot."
One second later, the USPP officer fires multiple times toward Martin's head.
Authorities from both police departments can later be seen providing Martin emergency care after the car slams into the house.
MPD released four different perspectives of body camera video and an additional edited version. The department's videos also show officers planning how to apprehend Martin before the subsequent shooting. In one perspective, viewers can also see a USPP officer falling from the cruiser.
Attorney Andrew O. Clarke is representing Martin’s family in this case. A representative from that law firm told WUSA9 Tuesday that Martin's family wants the officers' names in the incident released. The firm added the family also wants the officers terminated and prosecuted.
The family plans to hold a press conference on the videos Wednesday afternoon.
MPD’S Force Investigations Team is leading the investigation into Martin’s shooting.
District senior officials told WUSA9 it is against MPD policy to block a car’s path of pursuit or to even get into a car like the Park Police officers ultimately did in this incident. They said, as of right now, it does not appear DC Police officers committed any policy violations.
A gun was also found in the car after the shooting, but those same officials said it remains unclear as to who it actually belonged to.