MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Newly released video of Memphis Police Officer Connor Schilling and 19-year-old Darrius Stewart on the ground struggling highlights the TBI investigation.
The video was taken at a distance, but witness after witness recounted what they saw.
One witness said Schilling stood up and shot Stewart while Stewart was trying to get up.
Another witness heard Stewart say “I can’t breathe.” The witness said Stewart got off the ground, turned and ran away, and Schilling shot him.
One witness said Stewart was handcuffed on the ground. The officer got up, raised his gun and shot Stewart twice in the back.
Attorneys for Stewart’s family said it proves Stewart was murdered.
“It is past time. It’s been 150 days since Officer Schilling killed Darrius Stewart. Officer Schilling needs to be terminated. He should have been terminated long ago,” attorney Carlos Moore said.
Witnesses’ stories differed greatly from what Schilling described happened that night.
In the TBI report, Schilling told police that in the struggle Stewart got the officer’s handcuffs and started hitting him in the face and arms.
Schilling, photographed showing his injuries, said he was so exhausted he couldn’t defend himself, and fearing for his safety, he fired his weapon, hitting Stewart twice.
He says Stewart ran about 60 yards. Schilling said he put his weapon in his holster, chased Stewart, found him on the ground and handcuffed one arm.
Local pastors, pushing for an open and fair investigation said there are still plenty of questions.
“Whether or not it can be determined Darrius was fleeing for his life is going to be a major point of contention, whether he was turning to leave and another shot was fired,” pastor and NAACP president Keith Norman said.
Retired Memphis Police Maj. Pat Lovett teaches defensive tactics to police. She said the video shows a good arrest attempt.
“What I saw was the officer attempting to get Mr. Stewart on the ground so he could get a good position to handcuff him,” Lovett said. “The officer at that point the only thing he was doing at the very end of that clip was keeping his body weight on his back, the center of his back, to keep him from getting up.”
Apparently Stewart did get up and ran away. That’s what so far no video shows, what happened when Schilling went after him.
