Springfield Police share body-camera footage of officer shooting teenager who shot first

Finding videos takes time and effort, keep me motivated by donating to https://paypal.me/thisisbutter
-----
The Springfield Police Department has shared the video of a September shooting where an officer shot a teenager who police say fired at law enforcement first.

The shooting happened around 11:30 p.m. near South 18th and East Kansas Streets on Sept. 4. According to the investigation, Officer Jesse Schmillen reported to a shots fired scene earlier on Sept. 4 where multiple shots were fired including one hitting a house. Police were able to get a description of a suspect as a shirtless black male in a white Kia.

Through the use of automated license plate readers, police found a matching description of a car around 11:25 p.m. Officers found the suspect, identified as 19-year-old Carrington James, in the front passenger seat pulled into the drive-through of a restaurant.

Body camera footage shows Schmillen removed James from the car. James broke free from the officers and started to run into the street. The teenager reached into his pants and fired at the officers. Schmillen then fired multiple shots at James, hitting him once.

“No officer ever puts on the uniform with the intention of injuring anyone,” Springfield Police Chief Ken Scarlette said.

Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Milhiser determined he will not charge the officer who shot James.

“As required by law, taking into consideration the totality of the circumstances at the time of the shooting, Officer Schmillen was justified in the use of deadly force and the discharge of his firearm,” Milhiser wrote.

James remains hospitalized, Scarlette said.