By Joanna Putman
Police1
LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. — Body worn camera footage released by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department shows the moment a man rammed a cruiser before charging at officers with a knife.
The March 19 incident began when deputies responded to a home for a welfare check, according to a critical incident briefing. Deputies contacted a victim who told them that Jose Acosta, 40, had violated a protection order by coming to the home and demanding to be let in.
Deputies saw Acosta driving near the home and followed him at a distance.
Surveillance footage shows deputies stopping behind Acosta at an intersection, preparing to make a stop, according to the critical incident briefing. Acosta’s orange vehicle can be seen suddenly reversing into the cruiser.
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Body camera video from the deputy driving the cruiser shows he braced for impact before the collision, which caused his airbag to deploy. The collision rendered both vehicles inoperable, according to the release.
Deputies in another cruiser instructed Acosta to get out of the vehicle with his hands up. When he opened the door, one deputy called out that he had a knife in his hand.
As Acosta stumbled out of the car, deputies instructed him to drop the knife. Instead, Acosta charged at the deputies with the knife in hand. The deputies then fired multiple shots, bringing Acosta to the ground.
The deputies rendered medical aid until fire department paramedics arrived, according to the report. Acosta was pronounced dead at the scene. A knife with a three-inch blade was recovered.