A cop points his gun for 9 minutes at a passenger of a pulled-over car, until backup arrives, a video made by someone in the car shows, but the officer was defended by his California department.
“It is not clear why the passenger chose to reach under the seat since the officer was not requesting any other paperwork,” Campbell police said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the passenger’s unexpected movement towards the bottom of the seat, caused the officer to perceive a threat and draw his handgun.”
The driver of the car pulled over for speeding last Wednesday posted the encounter to Facebook, The Washington Post said.
The video went viral, garnering around one million views.
In the video, you can see the officer pointing the gun at the passenger from outside of the passenger window of the vehicle.
The man sitting in the passenger seat is heard complaining to the officer about the gun, questioning him as to why it was necessary for the cop to point it at him.
“Wow,” the passenger says in the video. “We’re looking for the f***ing paperwork, bro. Oh my God.”
“I understand that,” the officer said in response. “Don’t move, all right?”
The video, though, doesn't show everything.
The officer reportedly asked the driver for her license and registration, as in any typical traffic stop.
While the driver and passenger were looking for the registration, the passenger was said to have reached underneath his seat, The Guardian said.
That's when the officer pulled his gun. The passenger held his hands up and tried explaining that he was reaching under the seat to look for the paperwork.
"Why are you still pointing that gun at me, bro?” the passenger asks the officer, according to The Post. “Why are you still pointing the gun at me, though? Record this s***. Why are you still pointing the gun at me, bro? My hands are right here.”
Apparently, before the officer let the driver pull off, the passenger apologized for handling the situation the way he did, considering the cops' explanation for pulling out his gun.