Three police officers were cleared in a fatal shooting that unfolded at an Iowa hotel in February.
A grand jury on Wednesday declined to indict the officers involved in the shooting death of 29-year-old Ali Eisa Abdalla Yahia, finding that the cops “followed departmental policies regarding use of force,” according to a statement from the Urbandale Police Department.
Body camera footage released by police after the announcement showed the incident that occurred at a Holiday Inn in Urbandale around 4 a.m. on February 16. Officers were dispatched to the hotel after reports of drug use, according to NBC affiliate WHO.
After entering the hotel lobby, officers found Yahia and two women. Police said the women were able to run away and that Yahia shoved an officer while trying to escape, according to the station.
The body camera video showed officers struggling with Yahia on the ground as they told him to stop resisting and threatened to use a Taser on him. The officers asked Yahia to show them both of his hands, as Yahia kept one hand underneath him.
Yahia appeared to not respond to the officers' demands and a gunshot is heard. One officer can be heard saying, “Shots fired.”
An officer yells at Yahia to stay put and Yahia responds, “What, you gonna shoot me?
The officer says, “Yes, you understand?”
“Get it over with, man,” Yahia says.
Further struggling and several gunshots can be heard before the video ends. Police said Yahia shot at the officers, who returned fire and fatally wounded him, according to WHO.
The officers were identified as Sgt. Jeff Casey, Officer Anthony Brooks and Officer Justice Weaver.
