Glendale police release edited bodycam footage of fatal shooting of unarmed man

Glendale police on Thursday released edited body camera footage of one of its officers fatally shooting an unarmed man in the back in November after they said he reached toward his back.

Officers just after midnight on Nov. 3 responded to reports of a man "acting erratically" near 62nd and Maryland avenues, Glendale police spokesperson Sgt. Randy Stewart narrated in the video package produced by the department.

A 911 caller in audio included in the video told a police dispatcher "this guy is beating the crap out of a car" and "he's whacked out." Another caller said "he's screaming and he's hitting a car and he's running up and down the street."

Police said the man, later identified as 26-year-old Jose Enriquez Cortez, shattered several car windows in the area with a hatchet that was later recovered near one of the cars.

Cortez began to flee the area in a car when an officer arrived at the scene, hitting the officer's car while they were still inside, Stewart said. Several officers then followed Cortez through the neighborhood, according to Stewart.

He eventually stopped near 62nd Avenue and Ocotillo Road, exited the car and yelled at officers while backing away on foot, the video shows.

"As more officers arrived, Cortez became more agitated and combative," Stewart said.

The video shows two officers, with their weapons drawn, approaching Cortez while standing in someone's front yard.

One of the officers tells Cortez "get your hands out of your pocket." Cortez responded, "F--k that s--t, shoot me."

After several more commands, the other officer used a taser on Cortez, however, it's unclear if it hit him. Glendale police previously said it was not effective.

Cortez then put both fists into the air before charging toward one of the officers while continuing to yell expletives, according to the video. He did not appear to be holding a weapon in his hands.

He then appeared to put his hands behind his back, after which the other officer yells "watch out, watch out" before shooting Cortez in the back, the video shows. About eight shots can be heard in the video.

Cortez fell to the ground and was eventually placed in handcuffs. Officers provided aid to Cortez at the scene, Stewart said, but he ultimately died at a hospital.

Glendale police previously said Cortez moved "as if he had a gun in his rear waistband," however, a weapon was not recovered from the scene.

The officer who shot Cortez was placed on administrative leave. They were not identified as of Thursday.

Internal and criminal investigations into the shooting are ongoing.
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