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Newly released video footage shows the gun battle between police officers and a suspect at a California Trader Joe’s as well as an explanation of events that led to the gun battle.
The firefight took place on July 21 in the city of Los Angeles. Gene Atkins, 28, was arrested after a gun battle with the police that left a Trader Joe’s manager, Melyda Corado, dead.
Atkins took a number of shoppers and employees inside the store hostage, although a number escaped as he engaged with officers.
All the hostages apart from Corado survived the battle. The LAPD said that the shot that killed Corado came from an LAPD officer.
Wow! Bravo to this #TraderJoes crew member Sean. He heard the shots, barricaded himself and some co-workers upstairs, grabbed the window ladder and helped many of his co-workers get out. You can see him in the picture below. #SilverLake @NBCLA pic.twitter.com/2co6JqVhCY
— Kenny Holmes (@KHOLMESlive) July 22, 2018
New Footage
There was some body-camera footage that was released soon after the incident. According to the department, the new footage is from body-cameras and in-car cameras. The video, released on YouTube, audio recordings of 911 calls received by the police and radio transmissions between officers can be heard.
The sum gives “a better understanding of what occurred that afternoon,” according to a department spokesman speaking in the video.
He noted that investigations into the use of force can take up to a year to complete, and include analysis of video and audio as well as extensive interviews with witnesses and officers involved.
The spokesman noted that the video included profanity and graphic images.
The footage includes the gun battle between officers and the suspect.
One Dead, Suspect Arrested
During the firefight, bullets struck a manager inside the Trader Joe’s. She was cared for by fellow hostages but declared dead when she was carried out and placed in a rescue ambulance.
Gene Atkins, the suspect, was arrested and charged with a number of crimes, including one count of murder, one count of kidnapping, six counts of attempted murder, 13 counts of false imprisonment of a hostage, and four counts of assault upon a peace officer with a semiautomatic firearm.
He was also charged with one count each of the following: assault with a firearm, reckless evading of a peace officer, grand theft auto, negligent discharge of a firearm, and shooting at an occupied car, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Atkins Killed Grandmother Before Shooting
According to authorities, the Trader Joe’s firefight was preceded by a family dispute in south L.A. between Atkins and his grandmother.
Police said that Atkins was upset that his grandmother didn’t want his girlfriend to sleep at the family home.
He shot his grandmother and dragged his girlfriend into his grandmother’s vehicle, fleeing the scene.
Police officers began chasing him and the chase ended at the Trader Joe’s.
The grandmother, Mary Madison, survived the shooting after being rushed to the hospital.
