Fort Wayne police on Wednesday released body camera footage showing the fatal shooting of 31-year-old Gawon Kaerey Benson on the campus of Purdue University Fort Wayne (PFW).
The incident, which occurred on July 30, has been described by authorities as a “possible suicide-by-cop scenario.”
Benson, who was wearing a GPS ankle monitor from DeKalb County Community Corrections, died from multiple gunshot wounds. The Allen County coroner’s office has ruled his death a homicide resulting from police action.
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The video released by the police begins with a 911 call, in which a community corrections employee reports that Benson’s ex-girlfriend claimed he had gone to her house and taken several items, including a Glock 9 mm handgun.
The caller indicated that Benson was near 2600 Abbey Drive, just north of PFW’s main campus, and was heading onto university property.
The footage then transitions to the perspective of an officer approaching Benson from behind near PFW’s Parking Lot 10, close to the Ron Venderly Family Pedestrian Bridge.
Officers can be heard repeatedly instructing Benson to drop the gun and raise his hands. At one point, an officer warns Benson that he could be tased or bitten by a police dog if he did not comply.
“He was not responding to officers’ verbal commands. Gawon then pulled a handgun from his right pocket and the following events occurred,” the narrator in the video states.
The video shows Benson walking away from officers with what appears to be a gun, which is circled in red during the slowed-down portions of the footage.
The perspective of another officer positioned to Benson’s left is shown next. The video indicates that the officer observed Benson manipulating the slide of his handgun, prompting the officer to discharge his weapon.
The police video also emphasizes that body camera lenses have a fixed focus and do not “capture everything seen or heard by the officer.”
Additionally, the video reveals a suicide note found in Benson’s pocket. Portions of the handwritten note are highlighted, supporting investigators’ belief that Benson intended to provoke a fatal encounter with law enforcement.
Both internal and criminal investigations are ongoing, with the Allen County prosecutor’s office set to review the case. “Conclusions about whether the actions of the officer are consistent with department policy and law will not be made until all the facts are known, and the investigation is complete,” the video states.
The release of the footage comes a day after Rev. Carlton Lynch, a former local civil rights activist and pastor, held a press conference alongside Benson’s family, including his mother. Rev. Lynch, who had reviewed the police footage, characterized Benson’s death as a “killing” and an “assassination.”
He asserted that the videos showed Benson walking away from officers with his back turned, despite not complying with their commands.
Fort Wayne police, in a news release, noted that PFW officers were involved in the incident. However, Sgt. Jeremy Webb, a police spokesman, clarified that PFW officers do not wear body cameras.
After Benson was shot, officers and medics on the scene provided medical care, but he ultimately succumbed to his injuries, according to the police statement.
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