Molly Sullivan
The Sacramento Bee
LODI, Calif. — Lodi Police Department released video Monday of a gunfight and officer-involved shooting that left one man injured last fall.
The 20-minute video, posted to the department’s YouTube page, contains body camera and security camera footage, as well as recordings of 911 calls from Nov. 5, 2019, the day the shooting occurred.
At the time, the department said officers were dispatched at about 5:10 a.m. to reports of shots fired near the 900 block of Industrial Way. A lone officer, the first to arrive at the scene, encountered a 37-year-old male suspect who was armed with a semi-automatic rifle and a semi-automatic handgun, according to the news release.
One officer, identified as Joravar Atwal, came in contact with a man carrying a rifle and handgun who began firing on the officer’s patrol vehicle. The suspect was identified at Marco Aquino.
Photos from the scene show the passenger side of Atwal’s vehicle had several bullet holes and shattered windows.
Atwal jumped out the vehicle and appears to fall to the ground before returning fire, hitting Aquino “multiple times.”
In the body camera footage, Atwal can be heard saying “drop the weapon” before reloading and firing. Aquino can be heard yelling in pain shortly afterwards.
Atwal continues to fire, repeating “drop the weapon.” Aquino is not visible in the footage.
A second officer arrives on scene and Atwal explains what had transpired.
“Yeah, he shot at me,” said Atwal, who was not injured in the gunfight. “I shot back.”
Aquino was taken into custody on suspicion of attempted murder, use of a firearm in commission of a felony, and possession of an assault rifle.
©2020 The Sacramento Bee (Sacramento, Calif.)