COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Division of Police released body-camera video showing at least one officer shooting a homicide suspect during a chase on the city's northeast side earlier this week.
The suspect, a 16-year-old boy, is accused of shooting and killing 39-year-old Alejandro Lopez-Lechuga outside of another apartment complex on Jester Lane Wednesday morning. Witnesses say the teen was trying to break into vehicles outside of apartments on Jester Lane when Lopez-Lechuga intervened.
Sgt. Joe Albert said homicide detectives obtained video evidence that led them to identify the 16-year-old boy as a suspect in the fatal shooting, as well as the suspect vehicle that left the scene.
Police and SWAT officers set up surveillance on the suspect's address.
The teen left the residence in what police believe is the same vehicle seen at the shooting on Jester Lane.
Officers followed the vehicle to the 6000 block of Cooper Colony Drive Wednesday afternoon. Albert said an officer attempted to pull over the vehicle. The suspect reportedly got out of the passenger side of the car with a rifle in his hand and started running in front of an apartment building.
Police released bodycam video from three different officers who were at the scene.
One of the videos shows an officer getting out of his vehicle and multiple officers could be heard telling the suspect to put his hands in the air.
The video shows the suspect running in front of the officer with the rifle in his hand. The officer fires two shots and the suspect drops the gun. At least four more shots can be heard and the suspect continues to run.
Officers are seen running after the suspect and can be heard ordering him to the ground and he then complied. Police say the suspect was shot at least once.
Bodycam video from another officer shows him putting the suspect in handcuffs. As officers worked to coordinate getting a medic to arrive at the scene, they found the suspect was shot in what appeared to be his chest and hip.
In just a little over two minutes, tactical medics arrived. Medics and the officers carried him to an ambulance. He was taken to Riverside Methodist Hospital where his condition is described as stable as of Friday morning.
The suspect is charged with murder and two counts of felonious assault in the Jester Lane shooting. He has previously faced charges including sexual battery and theft. Police said it's possible he will face charges for Wednesday evening's incident as well.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is investigating the shooting.