LOS ANGELES, California — The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department released body camera footage Friday evening of a fatal shooting of a 27-year-old black woman who called to report a domestic violence incident in early December.
Niani Finlayson called authorities just after 6 p.m. on Dec. 4 to report a man who wouldn't leave her house or leave her alone, according to audio of her 911 call released by the department.
Officers responded to the apartment complex in Lancaster, a city about 45 miles (71 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, and shot Finlayson within a minute of her opening the door, the video shows.
Finlayson was holding an object that officers identified as a knife. She grabbed the man with her other hand and an officer shot her within seconds, the video shows.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office and the Sheriff's Department will conduct investigations to determine whether the use of force was appropriate.
“Any time a life is lost, regardless of the circumstances, is a difficult time for everyone involved,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said in a statement obtained by the Los Angeles Times. “The department released the body-worn camera footage ahead of the statutory timeframe to demonstrate our commitment to transparency and the visual representation of the facts in this case.”
Finlayson's family, including her parents and two daughters, filed a claim with the government on December 20, saying they plan to seek $30 million in damages. The claim is the precursor to filing a lawsuit.
The claim, filed by attorney Bradley Gage, says Finlayson was sitting on the ground when officers shot at her from behind a glass door, allegations that appear to be contradicted by the video footage.
Gage did not immediately respond to a voicemail left by The Associated Press seeking comment on the release of the video footage. He told the Los Angeles Times that officers could have instead used a stun gun or pepper spray to de-escalate the situation.
“They took a situation that was volatile, but not fatal, and with these tactics they turned it into a deadly situation,” he said.
According to the claim, Finlayson was shot in front of her 9-year-old daughter. The video footage shows a girl in the footage telling officers what sounds like “he pushed me” or “he hit me.”
The sheriff's department also released audio of the 911 call in which a woman, identified by authorities as Finlayson, can be heard saying, “This man, he won't leave my house” and “He won't leave me alone to leave.” You can hear her yelling at someone to get off her.
During the call, the dispatcher hears that she should walk away to a quieter place. Authorities describe the man as Finlayson's boyfriend, but the audio does not indicate she identified him that way.
Body camera footage shows three officers outside the apartment complex. A deputy is seen knocking on the door and another says, “They're in the back room, but they're not answering.”
Screaming can be heard from the apartment. A deputy kicks the door several times before a woman identified by authorities as Finlayson opens the door and begins yelling, “I'm going to stab him.”
Officers begin to enter the unit and three people can be seen inside.
A girl in the apartment says what sounds like “he pushed me” or “he hit me.”
Officers then round the corner of the apartment and point their weapons at Finlayson and a man standing on the other side of the room. She can be seen holding the man with one hand. A deputy can be heard saying, “Put that down.”
Within seconds, a deputy fires several shots and Finlayson falls to the ground.
Police say Finlayson was holding a kitchen knife after she opened the door. Body camera footage shows her holding an object in the doorway. A still image from the body camera footage shows Finlayson holding the object, identified as a kitchen knife, in one hand while grabbing the man with the other.
Immediately after the shooting, the man who grabbed Finlayson can be heard shouting, “No” and “Why did you shoot?”
The department identified the deputy who shot Finlayson as Ty Shelton.