‘We Don’t Want to Hurt You, Brother,’: Newly Released Bodycam Shows Black Officers Try to Negotiate with Suspect Who Retreated Inside His Home During Deadly Standoff

An Atlanta-area police department on Friday released bodycam videos from an April 12 officer-involved shooting during which a Black man was killed.

The footage, obtained by Atlanta Black Star, showed 35-year-old Matthew Zadok Williams holding a knife as he rushed a DeKalb County police officer during an encounter outside his Decatur home. He was still wielding the knife and told police he was “defending his property” when officers pleaded for him to drop the weapon minutes later.

The videos indicate police opened fire on Williams on three separate occasions after he lunged at officers during the fatal incident, which lasted about 20 minutes. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is now investigating the shooting.

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