The state’s attorney’s office investigating a fatal police shooting in Hartford has released body cam footage showing a foot chase through a residential neighborhood that ended with one man’s death.
State investigators say police were called to Gilman Street in the city’s South End Saturday for a report of a man carrying a gun. Investigators say 30-year-old Shamar Ogman had both a handgun and rifle, refused commands to drop them, and ran from police.
Minutes into the encounter, Officer Ashley Martinez again gave the order to put the gun down. Investigators say it appeared that Ogman pointed the rifle in the direction of the police.
“He’s pointing it,” she appears to shout in the video.
An officer again told Ogman to drop his gun. Then Martinez fired one fatal shot. Ogman later died at Hartford Hospital.
State’s Attorney Margaret Kelley of Ansonia/Milford is investigating the case. In a statement, she said that in the video, Ogman “failed to comply with additional requests to drop the weapons and appears to point the rifle in the direction of the police.” That’s when Martinez shot and killed him.
Kelley said she has met with Ogman’s family to provide updates.
In a statement, Mayor Luke Bronin thanked Kelley for the quick release of the video.
“The videos released today show a very dangerous situation, with a heavily armed man aiming a rifle at police officers in a residential neighborhood,” Bronin said. “Any loss of life in our community is painful, and our hearts go out to the family of Mr. Ogman. My thoughts are also with Officer Martinez. No officer ever wants to face a situation like this, and she acted to protect her fellow officers and the public when she felt that she had no other responsible choice.”
Kelley said the investigation is ongoing.
