Adrian Medearis, a well-known gospel singer and choir director in Houston, was shot and killed by a police officer during a traffic stop on Friday, May 8.
Family and friends of Medearis had been demanding the Houston Police Department release body camera footage of the shooting, but on Wednesday police said the video will not be made public.
“We met with Mr. Medearis’ family yesterday and reviewed the video evidence with them,” Police Chief Art Acevedo tweeted Wednesday. “At the end of our meeting, the family asked @houstonpolice to not release the videos, & we will honor their request.”
Medearis, who is black, was shot multiple times during a traffic stop. The police department said the 48-year-old gospel singer was pulled over for speeding. Police said he was traveling 97 mph on the freeway, and was suspected of driving under the influence.
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An officer identified as J. Ramos administered a field sobriety test and then attempted to arrest Medearis. Police allege Medearis resisted arrest and tried to grab the officer’s taser, which resulted in a two-and-a-half minute scuffle and ended with Ramos fatally shooting him.
“Mr. Medearis, actually was able to flip the officer off of him, gain a position of advantage on the officer, on top of the officer,” the police chief said in a news conference Monday. “They continued the struggle. At one point Mr. Medearis grabbed the officer’s Taser that was on the ground, and as they were struggling, and pointing at the officer, and as they were struggling, the officer saw that Mr. Medearis had armed himself with a Taser, drew his service pistol, started creating space, and then Mr. Medearis when he aimed it at him, the officer discharged four rounds.”
