NEW ORLEANS — Following a shootout with a suspect, New Orleans Police Superintendent Shaun Ferguson is commending two officers who were wounded in the incident.
On Thursday, he released body worn cameras from those officers.
The shooting took place on April 14 near Briarheath and Strathmore Drives in the Littlewoods neighborhood of New Orleans East.
On that night, the two responding officers responding were James Montano and David Santanello. They got a call regarding two suspects pulling on car handle.
In a piece of video, officer Santanello makes the first contact with one suspect.
"Hey how's it going?" asks Santanello.
Immediately, one suspect, Dwight Clark, takes off running. The other suspect speeds off on his bicycle.
Both officers chase after Clark. A portion from Officer Montano’s body worn camera shows him getting close to Clark. Police estimate he got within three feet of Clark, when they say Clark turns around and opens fire.
They estimate he fired at least eight shots.
WARNING: This video is graphic
Officers Santanello gets hit in the knee. In one video, he’s heard screaming in pain, while continuing to return fire. Officer Montano keeps pursuing Clark and is seen firing his weapon. He suffers a gunshot wound to the calf.
"Two officers hit, we need EMS now,” Montano shouts into his radio.
A swarm of police responds. A perimeter is set up and within 30 minutes, Clark is arrested after hiding in a yard near Morrison Road. He suffered two gunshot wounds. Chief Ferguson says it's unclear if Clark was wounded by Santanello's or Montano's gunfire, but he says this much is clear: Clark was the one who fired first.
"As we viewed this video, together, it did not appear that our officers had their weapons unholstered as they were pursuing this fleeing individual," Ferguson said.
Police released a video highlighting one portion where Clark can be seen turning around to shoot. Ferguson says his officers responded bravely, even after getting hit.
"You also see one of our officers, Officer Santanello, upon being struck fall to the ground, and continued to fight for his life by discharging his weapon at the individual who was firing at them," Ferguson said.
The investigation into the police shooting is ongoing, but Ferguson says from what he's seen so far, his officers were justified in their actions. both are now at home recovering.
The suspect, Dwight Clark was treated and released from the hospital. He's currently in the Orleans Parish jail and faces two counts of attempted murder of a police officer.
The NOPD is still looking for the second suspect who took off on a bicycle.
Anyone with information on the shooting or the identity and whereabouts of the second subject is asked to contact the Force Investigation Team at 504-658-6800 or call Crimestoppers anonymously at 504-822-1111 or toll-free at 1-877-903-7867.
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