BUFFALO, N.Y. — Buffalo Police have released the bodycam video Thursday from a routine traffic stop early Wednesday morning that turned deadly in a matter of seconds.
The footage taken off officers Ronald Ammerman and Jonathan Crawford, who are both now on mandatory administrative leave, shows the moment Ammerman shot and killed 25-year-old Daveon Roberts.
Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said he believes the use of force was warranted.
"Reviewing the video, going through the evidence that we have, I do believe that is a justified use of force that occurred the other night," he said during a news conference on Thursday afternoon.
"When you take into account the fact that the officer found himself in a grave risk of serious physical injury or death, the use of that level of force is justified, in this case."
WARNING: The video contains images that may be upsetting to some.
The incident happened along Kensington Avenue near Poultney Avenue, just after midnight, where a car was seen off the road.
Gramaglia said the two officers pulled Roberts over for allegedly speeding and having tinted windows.
After approaching the car, the officers observed a 6-year-old child in the front seat without a seatbelt and were heard asking the driver, Roberts, for identification.
Roberts is reportedly heard telling the officers he doesn't have a driver's license or photo ID, then shows one of the officers a picture of a Georgia ID on his phone, which Commissioner Gramaglia said the officers could not verify.
The driver is then asked to step out of the vehicle, but instead drove off with one of the officers still holding onto the window of the open door.
The officer is heard in the bodycam video pleading with the driver to stop: "You're going to kill me, you're going to kill me." The vehicle reportedly reached speeds as high as 60 mph while the officer was hanging on.
Gramaglia stood by the actions of his officer, who chose to hang onto the car door instead of letting go when the car began driving away.
“The car accelerated at such a rapid speed,” he said. “I believe — and this is just my opinion — I believe that he found himself going at such a fast speed that if you let go, you're potentially looking at very serious physical injury or death.”
Ammerman then fired his service weapon, striking the driver five times in the torso. The officer brought the car under control, and he and Roberts fell out.
The vehicle traveled another 100 yards before coming to a stop near Kensington and Wyoming avenues with the child still in it. Ammerman rushed over to find the 6-year-old unharmed. Officers tried to save the driver who, according to Commissioner Gramaglia, showed signs of life. He was pronounced dead at ECMC.
Ammerman was taken to ECMC and treated for minor injuries.
New details are also emerging regarding Roberts’ past, with officials saying he was already under indictment for an attempted shooting back in April and also revealing that they found a loaded handgun under his driver’s seat.
He is also the half-brother of Jaylen Griffin, the 12-year-old whose body was found inside a home in South Buffalo in April.
“Obviously, it's a very sad situation all the way around,” Gramaglia said. “I certainly expressed my acknowledgement of that fact that this family has been through a lot and expressed my condolences to the family.”
Buffalo Police spokesperson Michael DeGeorge said in a statement that homicide detectives and Internal Affairs are conducting separate investigations into the incident and that the New York State Attorney General's Office of Special Investigations has been notified.
The Attorney General's Office told 2 On Your Side Wednesday that it is conducting a preliminary assessment of the matter.