WINTER PARK, Fla. — Winter Park police released body camera video on Wednesday from the fatal shooting of a wedding reception guest in February.
Daniel Knight, 39, was shot and killed by Winter Park police while attending his niece’s wedding reception at the Winter Park Events Center on Feb. 19.
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The release of the video comes weeks after the city announced it was developing a policy to release body camera footage within 30 days of an incident after questioning by Channel 9.
The body camera shows the interaction between police and Knight was only about a minute long before seven shots were fired.
“He’s OK, he’s our brother, he’s our brother,” family members are heard saying in the video.
READ: Family of wedding guest shot, killed by Winter Park police refute department’s account
His family and friends can be heard warning the officers that he has some sort of PTSD. Family members told Channel 9 that came from a bad interaction with law enforcement when he was a teenager.
The body camera video shows Knight punching a responding officer, knocking him to the ground. In the video, officers are also seen discharging their Tasers on Knight before police said Knight struck another officer knocking him to the ground. That second officer is the one who shoots Knight, who later died at the hospital.
You can watch a portion of the body camera footage below (WARNING: Graphic footage and language):
#BREAKING- I just reviewed the body camera video of the @WinterParkPD officer-involved shooting at a wedding in February. 7 shots were fired, interaction with Daniel Knight is approximately 1 minute in total.
— Karla Ray (@KRayWFTV) March 30, 2022
Winter Park police released the 911 call that led to police responding to the venue last month, in which the caller said a man was “grabbing people by the neck” and “shoving people to the floor.”
In audio released following the shooting, the caller said, “He’s grabbing an older woman and shoving her.” He was described as “violent” and “very drunk.”
Photos: Family of wedding guest shot, killed by Winter Park police refute department’s account
Knight’s family has refuted that he was acting belligerent or violent at the reception.
The city did not offer comment on the video, because officials said the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s investigation into whether the shooting was justified is still ongoing.
Channel 9 is continuing to go through the footage released by police. Watch Eyewitness News starting at 4 p.m. for the latest updates.
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