NEW ORLEANS – NOPD body cam video raises questions about why an officer shot a man during a traffic stop.
One officer is on leave and another is on desk duty.
Investigators are determining if any policies were broken and if there were any administrative issues. Superintendent Shaun Ferguson said this shooting is giving the department an opportunity to learn and see if things should have been handled differently.
The body cameras show two NOPD officers approach a car parked the wrong way.
Officer Isaiah Shannon, a 12 year veteran is caught on his partner’s body cam with his gun drawn behind his back. Shannon’s tactic is on Superintendent Shaun Ferguson said officers are not trained to do.
“That is something we’re looking at. Policies, some training issues, tactical issues perhaps that we have to take into consideration,” Ferguson said.
The officers pulled the men out of the car. The passenger, Anthony Cowart takes off and is seen struggling with Shannon while his gun is still in his hand.
Cowart also got a hand on the gun. The magazine drops, but with a bullet still in the chamber, a shot was fired and hit Cowart in the leg.
He was ultimately arrested but later the charges were dropped.
Ferguson said, “We have to look at everything holistically and we’re not doing this in the silence. The District Attorney’s Office has reviewed this video as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
Officer Shannon has yet to give a statement of what happened to investigators. Meanwhile, his partner is set to return to regular duties.
“We take this very seriously and I want to assure everyone that this will be a very thorough, fair and transparent investigation,” said Ferguson.
NOPD is also asking for the driver who ran away from the scene to come forward as a witness to the officer involved shooting.
As for Shannon, he was once fired from NOPD.
The Civil Service Board ruled his firing was wrong and ultimately the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the decision. NOPD initially fired him claiming Shannon violated its use of force policy.
On Friday, Superintendent Ferguson said he does not regret Shannon rejoining the force.