– Greensboro police officers machete-wielding man
– Greensboro police officers release video killing machete-wielding man.
Accident – Death – Obituary News : The Greensboro Police Department has recently released body-worn camera and vehicle-mounted camera footage capturing the moment when officers shot and killed 41-year-old Ernesto Ruiz. The incident occurred on Friday, June 30, 2023, around 9:55 p.m. when officers were dispatched to the area of Creek Ridge Road and Randleman Road after receiving reports of an individual armed with a machete.
Upon arrival at the parking lot of the Family Fare Convenience store/BP gas station on 2600 Randleman Rd, officers encountered Ruiz, who was armed with a machete and a kitchen knife. Despite multiple commands in both English and Spanish to drop his weapons, Ruiz attempted to flee the scene. Officers pursued him for approximately one mile, utilizing nonlethal means such as pepper spray and tasers to apprehend him.
As Ruiz approached a more populated area near the intersection of Randleman Road and Creek Ridge Road, officers surrounded him in an attempt to disarm him. Despite repeated warnings, Ruiz advanced towards the officers with the machete raised in one hand and the knife in the other. In response to the imminent threat, one sergeant and two officers fired at Ruiz, causing him to drop the weapons and rendering life-saving measures before he was transported to the hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
District Attorney Avery Crump has announced that the three officers involved will not face criminal charges, citing the justification of the use of deadly force under self-defense principles and statutory provisions allowing law enforcement officers to use lethal force in defense of themselves or others. Crump emphasized that the decision not to pursue criminal charges does not absolve the Greensboro Police Department from conducting an internal review to determine if departmental regulations were violated during the incident.
The release of the body camera and vehicle footage, along with Crump’s statement, aims to provide transparency and clarity surrounding the circumstances of Ruiz’s death. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation conducted a thorough review of the events leading up to the shooting, confirming the sequence of events as captured in the video recordings.
Overall, the incident underscores the challenges faced by law enforcement officers in high-stress situations and the complex nature of decision-making in potentially life-threatening encounters. The Greensboro community continues to grapple with the aftermath of the shooting, seeking answers and accountability in the pursuit of justice for all parties involved..
1. Greensboro police release video of officers killing machete-wielding man
2. Greensboro police release video of officers fatally shooting machete-wielding suspect.
