TOLEDO, Ohio — Toledo police have released body-camera video that shows a 32-year-old Findlay man refusing several commands from officers to drop a knife and asking police to shoot him in the moments before he was shot by a Toledo Police officer early Monday in south Toledo.
Toledo Police Chief George Kral held a news conference Wednesday morning to discuss the incident, which occurred just after midnight Monday at Heathergate Apartments. Officers arrived on the scene after reports of gunshots and fireworks, and encountered 32-year-old Manuel Simon Valero, of Findlay.
Kral said Valero remains hospitalized in stable, but critical condition. Valero is heard on video saying "Shoot me" several times and is seen holding the knife for multiple minutes, ignoring multiple pleas from officers to drop the weapon.
"It all comes down to trying to deescalate the situation," Chief Kral said. "You heard this man, he was begging the officers to shoot him. That's the last thing any officer wants to do. They used the tools that we give them."
Officer Michael Futrell was the first to arrive at the scene. He was hired in February, 2015 and has no active discipline in his personnel file. He fired two shots, striking Valero in the arm and chest.
Officer Ian Hodge was the second to arrive. He was hired in July 2017 and was disciplined in 2021 after his firearm accidentally discharged in a Toledo police locker room.
Body camera video shows:
- Officer Futrell asks Valero to step off the tailgate of his truck and keep his hands out of his pockets. Futrell is seen picking up a knife in his right hand.
- Valero askes the officer if he'll shoot him, and Officer Futrell responds, "If you come at me with that knife, yes."
- Valero puts two fingers on his chest and one on his head. He tells the officer, "You've got the target...hit it." Valero continues to ask the officer to shoot him and the officer repeatedly asks him to put down the knife.
- Valero sticks the knife in his chest and continues to ask the officer to shoot him. Officer Hodge arrives. Officer Futrell says to the suspect, "We don't want to have to do this, boss."
- Valero removes his jacket. Officer Hodge fires his Taser as Valero stabs himself a second time. Valero then pulls the Taser probes off his body.
- Valero walks in the direction of Officer Hodge. Officer Futrell fires two shots, striking Valero.
- Both officers begin to administer first aid within one minute.
WARNING: Body camera footage is graphic and may not be suitable for all viewers.
Chief Kral said the officers followed proper escalatory protocol, starting with verbal commands. He also said Tasers are not "fool-proof" and don't always fire correctly or subdue a suspect.
"The fact of the matter is we don't have to be shot, we don't have to be stabbed, we don't have to have a firearm or knife shoved at us [to use deadly force]," Chief Kral said. "The series of events led Officer Futrell to come to the conclusion that everything they tried was unsuccessful and the only way they were going to be able to end that threat was to use a firearm."
Officer Futrell was placed on paid administrative leave, per department policy.
