GRAPHIC: Louisville Police release bodycam video of deadly shooting involving US Marshal

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE/Gray News) — The Louisville Metro Police Department released body camera footage from an officer that shows what happened when Omari Cryer was shot by a U.S. Marshal on May 20.

According to an arrest warrant, Cryer was being sought for many domestic violence offences, including strangulation and assault.

Officers from the U.S. Marshals Task Force, which includes Louisville Metro Police officers, were trying to serve a felony warrant on Cryer when the shooting happened. Cryer was armed and ran from officers trying to serve the warrant, Chief Erika Shields revealed at a press conference after the shooting.

Shields said that Cryer was shot by an officer after being stopped by a fence. The video from the officer’s body camera, which was made public Thursday, shows that Cryer jumped over a chain-linked fence after pulling a handgun out of his shorts; officers were yelling at him to put the gun down.

Cryer can be seen holding the gun in his left hand as he jumps the fence, landing on his back behind a bush, and crouching before being shot.

Cryer is then shot by a U.S. Marshal and falls to the ground. There were no shots fired by Louisville Metro Police officers.

The remaining footage shows police officers coming to his aid, questioning where on Cryer’s body he was shot, and calling for an ambulance.

“Where are you hit, buddy? Where are you hit?” one officer can be heard saying as they pull up Cryer’s shirt, looking for his wounds.

“Omari, stay with us, buddy,” another officer says.

As officers tried to stop the bleeding, it was discovered that Cryer had been shot twice in the upper left shoulder.

Shields said Cryer died before EMS arrived.

WARNING: The video below contains graphic content that could be disturbing to certain audiences.

According to Cryer’s arrest warrant, he hit a sleeping female victim in the face and head on Jan 23.

The victim was also allegedly pushed against a wall as Cryer threatened to “kill” her. The document says Cryer then hit the victim in the face with a semi-automatic weapon and choked her as she began to lose consciousness, according to the warrant.

Cryer was charged with strangulation, domestic violence assault, assault, and terroristic threatening. According to court records, he was also wanted for breaking his parole in a 2019 case for the second time.

Dozens of Cryer’s family members, friends, and other community members have questioned why Cryer was shot on May 20.

Antiya Parker, Cryer’s ex-girlfriend, said on May 23 that she found out about the shooting when she got a phone call while she was asleep.

“I was shocked, because why was he shot?” Parker said. “Why did this happen?”

Parker and Cryer shared a two-year-old son, KJ.

In January, Parker said she reported Cryer to the police for allegedly stealing her car. When asked about the charges of domestic violence against Cryer and if he had ever “laid hands” on her in any way, Parker said, “Yes, he did. He did.”

Police provided the redacted version of Cryer’s warrants, which can be viewed below.

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