Body cam video released, officer speaks through attorney
Published 6:42 pm Friday, March 8, 2019
- A still image taken from a Port Arthur police officers dash camera during an officer involved shooting.
Body camera and dash camera videos of the fatal officer involved shooting of Shayne Lyons was made public on Friday giving a closer look into the Dec. 28 incident.
Some time around 4:22 p.m., Port Arthur Police Officer Aaron Taylor, who was on routine patrol, saw Lyons with a machete in his hands in the 1600 block of Kansas Avenue. The officer parked and jumped out of his vehicle gun in hand and commands Lyons to “drop the (expletive) knife” and “put it on the ground right now,” a total of eight times. Lyons appears unfazed and in a stare as he holds the machete horizontally, right hand on the handle and the blade in his left hand as he walks forward toward the officer before the officer fires eights shots at the man. By the fifth shot Lyons begins to fall to the ground and after the final shot the officer approached and kicked the weapon away.
This all occurs in about 15 seconds.
A woman wearing a long skirt and sweatshirt walked right up to the officer and said, “y’all killed him” to which Taylor was heard saying, “he wouldn’t drop the knife ma’am.” He then orders her to go and sit down as he stands near Lyons’ body while waiting for backup.
Lyons appeared to move his hands slightly while laying on his back as blood began to spread on the concrete. He soon stopped moving.
The city has been taking heat about not releasing the videos since the incident occurred and the family of Lyons was prepared to hold a protest in order to see the videos then on Wednesday they were called to the Port Arthur Police Station where they viewed the videos.
The family contends the shooting was not justified even though a Jefferson County grand jury cleared the officer of wrongdoing.
Lance Bradley is Taylor’s attorney through the Combines Law Enforcement Associations of Texas. Bradley said his client was in agreement with the family to release the tape.
(Alert- this video may be disturbing to some viewers)
“He wanted it to be released and felt the public and in particular the family has the right to know what happened,” Bradley said.
He said there was a lot of speculation about the incident because the tapes were released and by releasing them it ends some of the speculation.
In a press release from the city of Port Arthur stated that transparency builds trust hence the reason they decided to release the video to the media those who filed pursuant to the Texas Public Information Act.
