https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=3528700677341568
By Megan Jones
Chicago Tribune
AURORA, Ill. — Aurora police have released footage from officers’ body cameras of the officer-involved shooting earlier this month involving a resident accused of charging at police armed with knives.
The video, released Monday, shows Kristopher Cross, 21, repeatedly threatening officers through a glass storm door at his home on the 900 block of Colorado Avenue in Aurora and later while standing in the garage at the house. At one point he told officers “I guarantee I will stab one of (you) by the end of the day,” the video shows.
Cross is accused of charging at police armed with knives, with an officer then shooting him.
Cross was taken to a hospital in critical condition after the officer-involved shooting.
The video can be seen on the department’s Facebook page “Aurora Illinois Police Department” and came with a message from AuroraPolice Chief Keith Cross, who is not related to Kristopher Cross, police said.
“I, along with our team at the Aurora Police Department, fully recognize this is a challenging situation for our community,” he said. “We hope this video will give everyone a more comprehensive understanding of what happened.”
The statement from police about the video released also said “please be advised that this release contains graphic content and may be difficult to watch.”
Kristopher Cross was charged last week with attempted first-degree murder, unlawful restraint, aggravated assault of two police officers and aggravated use of a deadly weapon in connection with the incident, officials said.
Body camera footage shows police arriving at the house on Colorado Avenue Feb. 5 after a family member called 911 to report that another family member was armed with multiple knives and threatening people inside the home.
“It’s getting violent, and before the violence happens, I need somebody to remove them,” the caller said, who told the dispatcher the man was armed with multiple knives.
Officers said when they arrived at the home they saw Cross holding a knife in his hand while he stood behind a glass storm door. Officers told Cross multiple times to drop the knife, the video shows.
Police directed family members to evacuate the house through the garage. Cross is seen in the video entering the garage holding a knife in each hand. Officers repeatedly ordered Cross to drop the knives, but he instead told officers “let me show you how fast I am,” the video shows.
An officer decided to use less-than-lethal projectiles to get Cross to drop the knives, officials said.
As Cross turned around, an officer fired pepper-ball rounds at him, striking Cross multiple times in the back, the video shows. Cross then begins to charge at officers and closed to around five feet at which time an officer opened fire, the video shows.
About five shots are heard on the video before Cross drops to the ground on the driveway.
Police said they found a third knife hidden in Cross’ pant leg and shoe. Officers are then seen in the video rendering aid to Cross using tourniquets and other tools, like a chest seal.
Family members are heard in the video reacting to the shooting and asking why Cross had to be shot. One officer is heard in the video responding “because he ran at us with a knife.”
Cross has not been served with an arrest warrant yet. His bail was set at $750,000.
The investigation of the officer-involved shooting is being handled by the Kane County Major Crimes Task Force, in accordance with Illinois law. The task force is comprised of police officers from a variety of county police agencies and serves as an independent investigative agency.
The state’s attorney’s office said it will publish the results of the investigation’s findings in a timely manner once complete.
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