Body Cam Video Released Of Police Fatally Shooting Barricaded Man

CHICAGO — Video from Chicago police body worn cameras show a police SWAT team shooting a man barricaded in his West Lawn apartment after police said he had shot his girlfriend and an elderly man, and fired at officers, last month.

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability released incident and tactical case reports, and video on Tuesday, in advance of the city’s 60-day video release policy.

Around 1:15 p.m. April 3, Chicago police officers responded to a shots-fired call at an apartment building in the area of 79th Street and Pulaski Road near the Ford City Shopping Mall. When officers arrived, they said a man, later identified as 58-year-old Frank Campbell, shot at them. No officers were injured and police did not fire back.

Over two hours of negotiations unfolded, and a police negotiator can be heard in the videos trying to deescalate the situation and pleading for the man to lay his gun down and walk with the police negotiator to an ambulance.

The negotiator can also be heard telling Campbell, “no don’t do that, Frank, put the gun down,” who appeared to have made comments about killing himself. A SWAT team arrives and seconds later, the sound of gunfire erupts as a SWAT officer fires five times into the apartment, fatally striking Campbell, the video shows. It’s unclear from the video if Campbell raised his gun at the police officers.

Police found a 78-year-old man wounded in the hallway, and a 48-year-old woman lying on the floor of the apartment with a gunshot wound to the neck. Both were described as hostages and taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in critical condition.

Campbell was also taken to Advocate Christ, where he was pronounced. A weapon was recovered at the scene.

Materials released Tuesday include body-worn camera, OEMC transmissions, case Incident and tactical response reports, which can be viewed by visiting Chicago COPA.

The investigation into this incident is ongoing and once concluded, COPA will release the summary report of Investigation in accordance with the municipal ordinance.