The Napa Police Department on Monday released the body camera video from a fatal officer-involved shooting last week.
Officer Christopher Simas, who has been with Napa police for two years, shot David Alejandro Molina, 27, of Napa, with his duty rifle after a foot pursuit and fight that lasted several minutes and ended in the Vineyard Terrace apartment complex. Molina was pronounced dead at 2:05 a.m. Wednesday.
Napa police said Molina was suspected of being involved in an assault with a handgun at the Kentwood Apartments on Soscol Avenue. Police responded to the assault report at 1:50 a.m. Wednesday.
Molina left the apartment complex before police arrived but he was found riding a skateboard on Soscol Avenue. Police said Molina was asked to raise his hands and get on the ground but he ran into the Vineyard Terrace apartment complex.
Police said the 16-minute body camera video shows Simas en route to the assault call, his attempts to get Molina to comply and the efforts to save him.
Napa police Chief Robert Plummer played the video at a news conference and discussed the details of the fatal shooting investigation at Napa City Hall.
The video shows Simas and Molina in a struggle and Simas pulls out his handcuffs. He's able to cuff one of Molina's hands, but the struggle continues.
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"The subject at this time was able to reach around behind his back and get ahold of the rifle and to discharge those rounds at that time," Plummer explained.
The shots are muffled because Simas said the rifle was pointed toward the ground and stuck in a mud bank.
"Officer Simas was able to regain control of the firearm, recharge the weapon and was charged by Molina, at which time he discharged his weapon," Plummer said.
Plummer told reporters he wanted to release the bodycam video before people began creating their own images of what happened.
The video was to be posted on the city of Napa's website after Monday's news conference, police said.
NBC Bay Area's Mark Matthews contributed to this report.
