By Sarah Roebuck
Police1/Corrections1
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Body camera and surveillance videos released by the Springfield Police Department show the moments leading up to a fatal officer-involved shooting at a juvenile detention center, NPR Illinois reports.
The videos released on Dec. 7 show officers responding to what was described as an “active shooter” at the Sangamon County Juvenile Detention Facility on Sept. 30. A person who called 911 reported that the suspect had possibly shot one person and could be holding another person hostage.
Surveillance video shows the suspect wandering around the facility with what appears to be a gun in his hand. The suspect then started shooting at windows inside the facility while holding a female resident hostage.
The video released by the police department then cuts to body camera video that shows police arriving on the scene and coming into contact with the armed suspect at the facility’s entrance. Video then shows the armed suspect, later identified as Camren Darden, 17, being shot while trying to flee from the facility.
Darden was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
A 9-mm handgun was recovered at the scene, police said.
“Law enforcement is a dangerous profession that often requires split-second decision-making,” Springfield Police Chief Ken Scarlette said at the end of the video. “I commend the professionalism of all responding officers and I’m grateful this terrible incident was brought to a swift resolution.”
The incident was investigated by the Illinois State Police. The Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office has cleared all officers involved in the incident from any criminal charges.
To watch the body camera and surveillance videos, click the photo below.
