This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jun/03/boston-police-video-terrorism-usaama-rahim
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Boston police 'backed away' from terror suspect before shooting him dead | Boston police 'backed away' from terror suspect before shooting him dead |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Boston police commissioner said on Wednesday that video footage of the killing a day earlier of a terrorism surveillance target showed that law enforcement officers “back-stepped away” from the suspect, who advanced on them before they shot him dead. | The Boston police commissioner said on Wednesday that video footage of the killing a day earlier of a terrorism surveillance target showed that law enforcement officers “back-stepped away” from the suspect, who advanced on them before they shot him dead. |
| Commissioner William Evans appeared with community and religious leaders at a news conference following a screening of the video for the group. The video was not released to the public. Evans said the screening was held in order to rebut claims that the victim had been shot in the back while waiting for a bus. | Commissioner William Evans appeared with community and religious leaders at a news conference following a screening of the video for the group. The video was not released to the public. Evans said the screening was held in order to rebut claims that the victim had been shot in the back while waiting for a bus. |
| Both Evans and Abdullah Faaruuk, spokesman for the Islamic society of Boston, said the video showed “four or five” officers approaching the victim, identified by family as Usaama Rahim, and then quickly retreating from him as he moved toward them. | |
| Police have said that Rahim threatened officers with a “military knife”, and a knife was recovered at the scene. However, no knife or guns are visible in the video, which was shot at a distance, officials said. | Police have said that Rahim threatened officers with a “military knife”, and a knife was recovered at the scene. However, no knife or guns are visible in the video, which was shot at a distance, officials said. |
| “The video is inconclusive,” Faaruuk said. “We couldn’t see clearly whether there was a knife or not. We can’t be clear as to what transpired. | “The video is inconclusive,” Faaruuk said. “We couldn’t see clearly whether there was a knife or not. We can’t be clear as to what transpired. |
| “It wasn’t at a bus stop,” Faaruuk continued. “He wasn’t shot in the back … He was approaching them, they did back up. Apparently, by evidence of his death, he was fired on.” | “It wasn’t at a bus stop,” Faaruuk continued. “He wasn’t shot in the back … He was approaching them, they did back up. Apparently, by evidence of his death, he was fired on.” |
| Darnell Williams, CEO of the Urban League of eastern Massachusetts, also appeared at the news conference. “I think the video is clear but it’s distant,” Williams said. “You cannot recognize who’s in the video per se. You just see the silhouettes of the individuals doing what they’re doing.” | Darnell Williams, CEO of the Urban League of eastern Massachusetts, also appeared at the news conference. “I think the video is clear but it’s distant,” Williams said. “You cannot recognize who’s in the video per se. You just see the silhouettes of the individuals doing what they’re doing.” |
| Police said the video would not be released to the public until an investigation by the district attorney, who is weighing whether the killing was justified as defined by the state, was completed. | Police said the video would not be released to the public until an investigation by the district attorney, who is weighing whether the killing was justified as defined by the state, was completed. |
| Evans said that law enforcement officers working with a joint terrorism taskforce had determined that “the threat was severe enough that we had to approach [Rahim]”, without giving further details. | Evans said that law enforcement officers working with a joint terrorism taskforce had determined that “the threat was severe enough that we had to approach [Rahim]”, without giving further details. |
| “This guy required 24/7 surveillance,” Evans said. “The level of our concern rose to the level that we needed to question him. I think we never anticipated what his reaction would be.” | “This guy required 24/7 surveillance,” Evans said. “The level of our concern rose to the level that we needed to question him. I think we never anticipated what his reaction would be.” |
| Both Evans and Faaruuk encouraged calm. “The [other] thing we want to do is to be quiet until we can see how this thing unfolds,” Faaruuk said. | Both Evans and Faaruuk encouraged calm. “The [other] thing we want to do is to be quiet until we can see how this thing unfolds,” Faaruuk said. |