TOLEDO, Ohio — Body camera footage released Tuesday of the fatal police shooting of 16-year-old Jameson Turnbull showed Toledo police officers attempting to de-escalate the situation before Turnbull pointed a gun at them and was shot multiple times and killed.
Turnbull, who is suspected of robbing a west Toledo Dollar General on Friday with his 15-year-old brother, shot at officers once as they chased him through a nearby neighborhood. Toledo police chief Michael Troendle said in a press conference Tuesday officers believed Turnbull may shoot at them again.
In the multiple clips of body cam footage release, officers can be heard saying they would be there as long as it took for Turnbull to put the gun down.
The video shows multiple officers telling Turnbull to drop his weapon about 10 times in total. Officers can also be heard asking him his name and trying to convince him he isn't in serious trouble.
"You haven't done anything that bad," Officer Benjamin Woody said. "All you have to do is put the gun down...you're not in that much trouble...you have a long life ahead of you...you'll probably get released to your parents."
Troendle said officers "have to be prepared for anything to happen" when they are on duty.
Five of the eight officers who were involved are part of the Toledo Police Department's crisis intervention team and are trained to attempt de-escalation and use phrases to prevent further violence, such as, "put it down," "it doesn't have to be this way" and "we just want to talk."
Less lethal options, including foam rounds, were considered, Troendle said. Troendle described foam rounds as a beanbag made out of foam.
"There's a chance that if we deployed that, we could maybe knock him off balance and maybe be able to take him into custody," Troendle said.
But, Troendle said the vehicles with the rounds were too far away from the standoff.
Troendle said that Turnbull's actions forced the officers to shoot him.
"No officer wants to take a young person's life," Troendle said. "They're trained to preserve life, including their own. The suspect took actions that put their lives in danger and residents."
All eight officers involved are on paid administrative leave, per the terms of the collective bargaining agreement.
The eight involved in the incident were:
- Officer Woody: 45 years old, hired in November 2010, unnecessary use of physical control technique (2021).
- Officer Anthony Wrozek: 44, hired in February 2015, no active discipline.
- Officer Derek Adams: 38, hired in February 2015, no active discipline.
- Officer Richard Wrobel: 46, hired in September 2012, no active discipline.
- Officer Adam Howard: 42, hired in November 2011, no active discipline.
- Officer William Gregus: 37, hired in October 2013, no active discipline.
- Officer Anthony Walden: 44, hired in November 2010, no active discipline.
- Officer Timothy Sturtz: 51, hired in November 1999, failure to activate body worn camera (2022).