Authorities released body cam footage last week of an officer shooting a man who was in the process of stabbing another man in Lufkin, Texas, this past March.
The Lufkin Police Department released the video after a grand jury found that officer Blake Witherspoon acted appropriately during the incident.
An urgent 9-1-1 call came in from a witness describing the scene as a man being “knifed to death.” Witherspoon shot and killed Epthen Johnson, 40, in the early morning hours of March 1 when he arrived on-scene.
When Witherspoon arrived, he saw Johnson on top of the victim, Jose Isabel Rodriguez, and Johnson was repeatedly stabbing Rodriguez in the neck and head.
Witherspoon yelled at Johnson several times to show his hands, but Johnson ignored every command. Witherspoon then fired three times at Johnson, which failed to stop Johnson from attacking. Witherspoon then fired a fourth shot, which stopped the attack.
According to Johnson’s toxicology report, he was under the influence of PCP and marijuana at the time of the attack.
Rodriguez survived the stabbing attack.
[revad2]
