PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. — Investigators with the Pierce County Force Investigation Team have released body camera footage of a deputy-involved shooting that initially started with the suspect’s young sons calling 911.
Detectives said 54-year-old Eric Smith’s young sons called 911, saying he was armed and they feared for their lives.
According to investigators, Smiths’ 10-year-old son said he and his 9-year-old brother had locked themselves in a bedroom to escape their father’s wrath.
“They told the call receiver their father had been drinking and hit them,” said Tacoma police officer Wendy Haddow.
When deputies arrived at the Byrn Mar apartments, they said Smith told them he was armed with a pistol.
“And then a deputy on scene advised dispatch, ‘He says he’s going to shoot at us,’” said Haddow.
In the newly released video, a deputy is seen prompting the kids to open a bedroom window.
The deputy is seen ripping the screen from the window in an effort to get the kids out.
A deputy is heard telling one of the kids to “come here” repeatedly.
The deputy is seen pulling one child out and then the other after the child reportedly used his body to barricade a door from their father.
Once the children were pulled from the room, deputies spotted Smith from another room window and said he had a gun pointed into the parking lot toward them. That is seen when the video is frozen.
As Smith remained holed up inside the apartment, at about 8:11 p.m. a deputy, later identified as Jared Beem, fired a shot, striking Smith in his hand and left shoulder.
Deputies said Smith called 911 after being shot and told dispatchers deputies had shot him and he was still armed.
Over the next hour, deputies said Smith came to the window several times and showed his gun.
Investigators said Smith came outside with the gun but went back inside until he finally came out unarmed at 9:28 p.m. and was taken into custody.
Smith was taken to the hospital for treatment and later booked into jail.
Smith has been charged with second-degree assault, and last week, he pleaded not guilty and the judge set his bail at $2,500.
Click below to see raw video of deputy body camera footage of the shooting in Parkland. WARNING: The video contains graphic or alarming material.