KILLEEN, Texas — Civil Rights attorney for Patrick Warren, Sr.'s family Lee Merritt held a press conference Wednesday to provide an update on the fatal shooting.
This update comes a day after the Killeen Police Department held its own press conference where Chief Charles Kimble shared the graphic footage from Officer Reynaldo Contreras' body camera from the day he shot and killed Warren.
Kimble said he released the video because the narrative up to that point told a story that was not accurate. He also took issue with the accusations against Contreras.
"Officer Contreras was dealing with the incident right in front of him. He was not some rude, hostile officer who was not wanted in the home," Kimble said at the Jan. 19 press conference.
Merritt said it was their goal by sharing their evidence, KPD would share theirs, so the community could have a clearer picture.
"The scary thing is that the narrative wasn't in fact demonstratively different than what we believed happened," Merritt said.
Merritt said Officer Contreras should not have been the officer responding. He said Contreras was not prepared for the emergency outlined in the call.
"What I expected to see is what we saw the day before, which is an officer whose willing to engage Mr. Warren in his manic state, to be able to get him to help safely and get him back home to his family safe," Merritt said.
Chief Kimble said Warren's wife called 911 and asked for a mental health deputy. He said she mentioned to the call taker Warren was being aggressive. Kimble did admit there was a breakdown in the system.
"I fully admit there was a breakdown in the system where police had to go out and deal with people with mental health. Our tools are very limited," Kimble said.
The body camera footage begins with Contreras pulling up to the house and coming to the front door. He's invited inside then leaves again to deescalate the situation and wait for backup, according to Kimble.
The footage shows Warren coming out of the house just 90 seconds later. He constantly repeats the phrase "take it by faith" and starts walking into the yard at Contreras. At this same time, Contreras is seen moving backward and telling Warren to get on the ground. He verbally warns Warren that he will use the Taser two times before finally deploying it.
Warren then falls to the ground and Contreras tells Warren to stay on the ground.
Instead, Warren gets back up and continues toward Contreras while picking up speed. The officer tries to retreat out of the yard while warning Warren that he is going to shoot him. As Warren closes the distance at the edge of the front yard, Contreras fires his gun three times.
"It's a tragic situation. It's hard to watch. I'll tell you, we watched that video over and over and over," Chief Kimble told reporters Tuesday afternoon. "I can't imagine putting myself in Officer Contreras's shoes because I believe this video shows he waited till the last possible second to use force."
Different video, from a doorbell camera that was released by the Warren family, shows Warren walk out his front door and walk toward Contreras while waving his arms.
Warren walks out of view of the camera at which point Contreras used a taser on him.
The video then cuts to another shot that shows Warren get back up and continue toward the officer. One of Warren's family members can be heard telling Warren to sit down, and asking the officer not to shoot him. Then three gunshots are fired out of view of the camera.
Warren died at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center.
Merritt believes criminal charges will go forward for Contreras. There was talk of a civil suit, but Merritt said they will decide on that after a grand jury has made its determination.
Contreras was placed on administrative leave Warren's family wants Contreras to be fired and arrested.
Texas Rangers were put in charge of the investigation. Kimble said the department was conducting its own internal investigation.
The day before Contreras came to the house, Warren's family again called for a mental health deputy because Warren was having what Merritt called a "manic episode."
Another video from the doorbell camera shows the mental health deputy at the front door. He goes inside and leaves more than an hour later with Warren.
Warren was calm and got into the back of the deputy's vehicle to be taken to the hospital.