Bodycam footage shows U of I student shot by police

555 The Champaign County Sheriff's Office released bodycam footage of police opening fire at 23-year-old University of Illinois student Samuel Applebaum on July 12. After receiving medical treatment for gunshot wounds on his leg, Applebaum was taken into police custody and charged with a felony offense of disorderly conduct. Champaign County Sheriff Dan Walsh said these charges are in relation to a false complaint made by Applebaum when he allegedly called 911 reporting there was a man on the street loading a semiautomatic weapon. That's when officers responded to the scene, and found Applebaum with what appeared to be a loaded gun. After reviewing the bodycam footage from his deputy on the scene, Sheriff Walsh stands by his, and the other responding officers', actions. "It's a sad situation, but I couldn't ask them to do it any better," Sheriff Walsh said. "These are the things they're trained to do and these guys all had the presence of mind in a very tense situation to do what we want them to do." Sheriff Walsh said at the time, the responding officers didn't know Applebaum was the one who allegedly made the 911 call. In the , you can hear police demanding Applebaum to 'Drop the gun!'. Sheriff Walsh said Applebaum refused to drop what turned out to be a pellet gun. "He yells maybe 7 times, 'Drop the gun!' and yet the man doesn't do it," he said. "It's my understanding then when he started to point the gun at the officers that's when they fired." After Applebaum was struck, the deputy and officers rushed to his side, and quickly realized Applebaum's weapon wasn't capable of deadly force. "It's a ... airsoft gun," one of the officers is heard saying in the bodycam . Even so, Sheriff Walsh said the responding officers were in the right, and this footage helps prove that. Applebaum's defense attorney, Tom Bruno, finds the interesting, but said it doesn't directly apply to the criminal charge facing his client. "This is a case that is going to involve some transparency," Bruno said. "But as far as the accusations are right now that are against Sam Applebaum, it's that he made a 911 call, none of which is going to be captured on this tape." In the you can hear someone, presumably Applebaum, say "I was just trying ... to kill myself." When asked about this, Bruno said he's not commenting on the mental health of his client at this time. Applebaum has been released on bond and is due back in court Sept. 4. This case is still under investigation by Illinois State Police.

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