KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Olathe Police Department has released body camera footage that shows what led to the fatal shooting of an armed, 'disturbed' woman in August 2017.
A standoff between Olathe police and Ciara Howard, who police say was emotionally disturbed, lasted for three hours before the shooting. Body camera footage shows the intense effort officers made to get Howard to drop her weapon.
Warning: some viewers may find this footage disturbing
The video begins with Olathe police arriving at Howard's boyfriend's home in August 2017. She was charged with a felony for not returning to a residential center as required under probation.
Officers, deputies and a police dog enter the home and confront Howard in the laundry room. For 13 seconds, you can hear officers screaming at Howard to drop her weapon. She shouts back and, at times, can be seen pointing the gun at officers. That's when she was fatally shot.
The Johnson County District Attorney reviewed officers' actions and determined their use of force was justified under Kansas law.
