GRPD releases body cam footage of accidently discharging his weapon during an on foot pursuit

13 ON YOUR SIDE obtained body cam footage from Grand Rapids Police Department officer Greg Bauer on the night he allegedly accidently discharged his firearm during an on-foot pursuit.

"That was me. That was me. I tripped," Bauer said after allegedly accidently discharging his weapon.

Bauer has since been charged with careless discharge of a firearm resulting in property damage, a misdemeanor.

The incident happened on Dec. 9, 2021 around 10:30 p.m. on the city's southeast side in the area of Cass Avenue and Sycamore Street SE.

Police had been following a vehicle being driven by Daevionne Smith because it matched the description of a vehicle that had been stolen. Police attempted to stop the vehicle multiple times but did not pursue it because of safety concerns.

Later in the evening, the vehicle stopped in front of Smith's father's home on the southeast side of Grand Rapids and Smith went inside.

Police set up a perimeter around the building and waited for Smith to exit.

When he later emerged from the home, police moved in on foot and during the pursuit, Bauer tripped on a slopped hill and allegedly discharged his firearm, striking the home. No one was injured.

"I just got to seeing movement on my left side," Smith said. "I ran to my right and once I got to five feet of running like a quick, little sprint, I heard a gunshot and when I heard a gunshot, I was like what's going on? What did I do? I thought I was hit by a bullet."

"Let them know it was me. F---," Bauer said in regards to the alleged accidental discharge of his firearm shortly after detaining Smith.

Smith's vehicle had been falsely identified as stolen and police later revealed that he was not involved in any criminal activity and the vehicle was not stolen.

"It was a mistake, but it could've been a really bad mistake if my life was gone," Smith said. "It would've been a second death from my family because of the police."

Smith and his family has already gone through one tragedy. His cousin is Breonna Taylor, who was shot and killed by Louisville detectives during a botched narcotics raid in March 2020.
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