The Bullhead City Police Department continues to investigate theofficer-involved shooting that occurred in Kingman, Ariz. on Thursday.
The Kingman Police Officer who was shot, Detective Dennis Gilbert, 57, remains in the hospital in serious, but stable condition and is doing well.
Lt. James Brice, 58, had one bullet pass through his clothing; however, he was not injured. The officers involved were wearing tactical ballistic body armor and gear during the search warrant.
On Friday, police released body cam footage that shows just exactly when police confronted 53-year-old Jeffrey Clair Cave at his home.
He was observed on camera refusing to put his gun down after being asked several times by police. Cave then fired his weapon at the officers. Police shot Cave in return. He was pronounced dead on scene.
The search warrant that Kingman Police executed at Cave’s residence was for a stolen firearm where Cave was listed as the suspect.
The firearm that Cave discharged at officers was not the stolen firearm. Cave was the only person at the residence at the time of the search warrant.
Randy Sutton, 13 Action News Crime and Safety Expert and retired Las Vegas police lieutenant, watched the police body camera video.
“It sent shivers down my spine. I've been there, I've seen this happen before," Sutton said.
He added, “Making an entry like this is one of the most dangerous situations in policing."
Tense situations life-or-death situations require officers to make split-second decisions. Any hesitation could cost a cop's life.
“Police officers are being forced to hesitate and we're losing cops because of it," Sutton said, complaining that nationwide protests over deadly police shootings are creating so much hostility toward cops that officers may second-guess themselves.
"Those officers probably did not use deadly force because of everything that is going on societally," Sutton said.
Sutton believes hesitation is just what happened in Kingman.
"They showed too much restraint," he said.
When asked what officers should have done, Sutton responded “shot him, as soon as he had the gun in his hand."
Protesters, however, argue they are demonstrating against police shootings because they say officers too often go too far.
