COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Body camera footage released Friday is giving a glimpse into what led to Columbus police shooting a man during a reported mental health crisis.
The officers involved first went around 11 p.m. to apartments in the 1600 block of Sullivant Avenue, in the South Hilltop neighborhood. Residents told them that the man — identified Thursday as Michael Frierson — had assaulted two people. Officers approached the apartment Frierson was staying in. In the bodycam video, they can be heard calling for him to come out, and let him know they had a warrant. However, he would not come outside.
The officers moved to kick in the apartment’s door. The video showed the officer heading inside and saying “let me see your hands,” twice, before Frierson appeared to lunge at them with a sharp object.
The officer fired three shots, leaving Frierson on the ground. Timestamps on the video showed the confrontation unraveled in the span of five seconds.
After the shooting, officers could be seen giving first aid before an ambulance took Frierson away. Columbus police found three edged weapons, a knife, scissors and a fork at the scene.
Frierson remained in the hospital as of Friday evening. The officer who fired shots has not been identified.