Previously unreleased videos of the 2018 killing of a beloved Chicago barber show police discussions right after the fatal shooting that contradict the facts depicted in footage of the incident.
Harith Augustus, 37, was shot five times by Chicago Police Officer Dillan Halley on July 14, 2018, after a confrontation with a group of officers. Police said they saw an “outline of a handgun visible under his shirt.”
When questioned, Augustus pulled out his wallet to show Officer Quincy Jones his Firearms Owners Identification card while three other officers, including Halley, circled him. Two of the officers grabbed Augustus as he held open his wallet. Halley had his right arm, and Officer Megan Fleming held his shirt.
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Augustus pulled away and broke free from the officers causing his shirt to rise, revealing a handgun on his hip in a holster.
Surveillance and body-camera footage shows Augustus’ hands moving toward his holster as he pulled away from officers. A patrol vehicle blocked his path, and he diverted left, stopped, turned and motioned towards his holster again. Halley then fired five shots.
Within seconds, Halley mischaracterized the shooting — the first of many times he and his partner misrepresented the day’s events, according to footage.
“Shots fired at the police,” Halley said over the police radio. “Or police officer shoots. F——.”
Augustus did not fire any shots. Another officer unfastened the dead man’s holster to remove Augustus’ gun 10 seconds after Halley fired the fifth shot.
The new footage was published by The Intercept, which purports that the interaction between Halley and Fleming went against policy and was an attempt to create a false narrative to justify the shooting. The officers, through their on-camera dialogue, contend Augustus ran because he was asked about his gun permit and that he assaulted Fleming. The two officers also try to perpetuate the narrative that the other officers took cover because Augustus drew his weapon and was about to fire it at them.
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