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A North Carolina police officer was saved by her own body camera after she was shot during an attempt to serve a 60-year-old woman with an involuntary commitment order.
The shooting took place on August 22 and was disclosed Tuesday following a media request to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
Officer Lauren Ehlke was with two other officers to carry out the order, which gives officers the right to search for people suffering from mental health issues and crisis treatment when they appear to be a danger to others.
Ehlke and officers Brandon Graham and Kristian Kurtzke arrived at Brenda Donohue’s South Charlotte home around 5:30 p.m.
A North Carolina police officer was saved by her own body camera (pictured) after she was shot during an attempt to serve a 60-year-old woman with an involuntary commitment order.
Body camera footage shows officers talking to a male resident who lives with Donahue standing outside for a couple of minutes, informing police that Donahue is asleep.
In a video statement, officials said they were not informed in advance that Donahue had a weapon.
The police then tell the man that Donahue, by law, has to go with them, even if they need to wear handcuffs.
The man then leads the authorities into the house, goes upstairs and shows them his room, which has a locked door leading inside.
The three officers try to talk to Donahue without opening the door, and one asks, ‘It’s the police, ma’am. You can open the door?
Just 15 seconds after entering the home and trying to make contact with the woman, Donahue can be heard denying her request, when a gunshot is suddenly heard.
The first shot hits Ehlke in the chest, knocking the camera off her body, which appears to have saved her from serious injury.
Officer Lauren Ehlke (pictured) was with two other officers to carry out the order, which gives officers the right to obtain treatment for people experiencing mental health issues and crises when they appear to be a danger to others .
A resident leads authorities into the house after speaking with them for two minutes.
The officers start up the stairs showing them his room, which has a door locked inwards. The three officers try to talk to Donahue without opening the door, and one asks, ‘It’s the police, ma’am. You can open the door?
Just 15 seconds after entering the home and trying to make contact with the woman, Donahue can be heard denying her request, when a gunshot is suddenly heard. The first shot hits Ehlke in her chest, knocking over her body camera, which appears to have saved her from serious injury.
The shooting took place on August 22 and was disclosed Tuesday following a media request to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
The officers then took refuge in another part of the house, down the stairs from Donahue’s bedroom.
About 30-40 seconds later, Donahue walks out of the room with his gun and looks over the railing.
Graham, after telling one of the other officers that Donahue was holding a gun and pointing it in his direction, shoots the 60-year-old woman, at a moment not seen on body camera footage.
The man who lives with Donahue is then heard asking ‘Did you shoot him?’
Graham replies: ‘You pointed your gun at me, get out sir, now!’
The officers then took refuge in another part of the house, down the stairs from Donahue’s bedroom.
The video shows Donahue (pictured) bleeding profusely and lying motionless near his bedroom.
Officers then tended to Donahue, who had been shot in the head, until medics could arrive on scene.
Officers then tended to Donahue, who had been shot in the head, until medics were able to arrive on scene.
The video shows Donahue bleeding profusely and lying motionless near his bedroom.
Sergeant Steven Winterhalter said in explaining the body camera footage that they felt Donahue was an active threat after firing at officers.
He added that the three officers followed their training and did not respond immediately after Donahue fired at them.
Donahue was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead six days later.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation has completed its investigation of the shooting, but the local district attorney’s office is still investigating, according to the charlotte watcher.