Body camera video from police officers in Riverdale Park, Maryland, reveals more about what happened in the moments before authorities say an officer fatally shot a 75-year-old man who was possibly experiencing a mental health crisis.
The Maryland Independent Investigations Division released the body camera video on Tuesday, which shows officers respond to the home in the 4700 block of Oglethorpe Street just before 4 p.m. on Sept. 19.
They were responding to a report of “a suicidal man who had access to firearms,” the Maryland Office of the Attorney General previously said in a statement.
Video shows the officers first speak with Bryan Coupal over the phone as they sit in their cruiser outside his home. Then, they speak with him at his front door.
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"Are you OK?" one of the officers asks, to which Coupal responds, "Yes."
"Do you want to harm yourself?" the officer said. "No," Coupal said.
The officers explain they received calls form people concerned about his wellbeing, including his doctor who claimed Coupal told her he feared the FBI was after him.
"That sounds familiar?" an officer asks. "Yeah," Coupal says. "Are you worried about that?" the officer said. "No," he replied.
The officers repeatedly ask Coupal if he intends to harm himself and he says "no" each time.
Coupal eventually sits down on the stairs in the entryway of his home. He stays there for a few minutes before walking up the stairs.
"Sir, stay down here for me. Sir! Stay down here for me," an officer commands.
Officer Chad Sunday then goes inside the home and follows Coupal. Sunday then opens fire after Coupal holds up what appears to be a gun.
"Shots fired! Shots fired!" an officer yells.
Officers treated Coupal until medics arrived and took him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
A crisis intervention unit was dispatched to the home but arrived shortly after the officer opened fire, according to Thomas Lester of the Independent Investigations Division.
Sunday has been with Riverdale Park police for two years and has 12 years of law-enforcement experience.
He remains on administrative leave.
