TEMPE, Ariz. — For the first time since the Tempe Police Department showed new video of an officer fatally shooting 14-year-old burglary suspect Antonio Arce, we are hearing the family's reaction to the video.
The Tempe Police Department played the video behind closed doors for several members of the media on Wednesday.
The video will not be released to the public, but police played it seeking to dispel two rumors.
The first rumor was that Arce did not have an airsoft gun on him when he died. The second rumor was that police tased him after he was down.
The video shows a replica gun underneath Arce's body. It also shows police never zapped Arce with a stun gun. However, it is the second fact that stood out to the family, according to their lawyer, Daniel Ortega.
"As soon as I told the parents what I knew, the fact that he wasn't tased seemed to be something they appreciated hearing," said Ortega. "You're just reaching for, 'Did he suffer? I want to know he didn't suffer.' To think he was first shot, fell to the ground, then was tased, that's adding insult to injury."
The family says they do not want to see the video but have asked Ortega to watch it for them. He has not seen the video yet but plans to do so soon.
Tempe police released the first part of the video earlier this month. It shows the officer responding to a burglary in progress, where Arce is seen inside a truck.
The video goes on to show Arce running away when two shots are fired, and the video cuts off.
Tempe police have said the officer saw a gun in Arce's hand.
"This was not a violent crime against anyone. He did not assault anyone. He did not draw a gun on anybody, didn't put anyone's life in danger. This was plain and simple, a property crime of a toy gun and a cell phone. He did not deserve to die for that, and I don't believe anybody who looks at this objectively and watches that video would disagree," said Ortega.
The officer involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative leave while the Tempe Police Department investigates the shooting.