New body camera footage presented in court shows moment HPD opened fire on teen

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Published: Jul. 28, 2021 at 1:35 PM HST|Updated: Jul. 28, 2021 at 7:02 PM HST
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HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Body camera footage from the three officers involved in a deadly April 5 shooting of a teen were presented in court Wednesday, making it public for the first time.

The Honolulu prosecutor’s office is trying to establish probable cause, saying three HPD officers — Geoffrey Thom, Zackary Ah Nee and Christopher Fredeluces — should go on trial for second degree murder and attempted murder charges.

So far, 13 witnesses have testified at the preliminary hearing over three days.

The body camera videos played Wednesday showed officers arriving at the scene of the shooting, exiting their vehicles, and entering the tense situation between HPD and the people inside the stolen white Honda being driven by 16-year-old Iremamber Sykap.

The videos showed where the responding officers were standing when Thom opened fire. Several officers had guns drawn as the vehicle moved forward. The defense argued that officers were in danger of being struck and injured by the vehicle.

Fredeluces, one of the officers who fired, did not turn on his body camera ahead of the fatal shooting. But other videos were captured, including one from responding officer Chanel Price.

She was involved in the chase of the stolen white Honda, and arrived at Kalakaua Avenue and Phillip Street just after Thom, Ah Nee and Fredeluces.

A fellow HPD officer took the witness stand for questioning Wednesday.
A fellow HPD officer took the witness stand for questioning Wednesday.(Hawaii News Now | HNN)

It shows her pull her firearm and aim it toward the Honda, but Thom is in front of her so she points it down.

In her video you also hear Price yell something at Thom as he’s firing the 10 rounds into the back of the car.

Sykap was shot in the back of the head, back and shoulder.

Other videos played for the court showed the start of the alleged chase from East Oahu, in which Sykap repeatedly ignored officers’ commands to pull over.

A replica firearm was recovered in the Honda, according to prosecutors and a BB gun was found in a backpack.

[Read a previous report: Court testimony confirms BB gun, replica firearm found in car after teen’s fatal shooting]

The preliminary hearing continues on August 17 and August 18. A judge will determine if there is enough probable cause for Thom, Ah Nee and Fredeluces to face trial.

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