Alton Sterling, the Louisiana man who was killed during a police confrontation, was reaching for his gun when he was shot, Baton Rouge police said in an affidavit filed July 5.
ABC News reported Tuesday that the affidavit was part of a search warrant for the surveillance camera at the convenience store where the incident took place. The affidavit reportedly states that "while the officers were attempting to subdue" Sterling, they "observed the butt of a gun in the subject's front pants pocket."
"When the subject attempted to reach for the gun from his pocket the officers fired their police issued duty weapon at the subject to stop the threat," the affidavit continued.
A private video of the incident, where two Baton Rouge police officers appeared to have Sterling pinned to the ground, went viral on social media and helped spark protests over police conduct around the country.
The affidavit identified the officers as Blane Salamoni, a four-year veteran of the department, and Howie Lake II, a three-year veteran, stated ABC News. Both were placed on paid administrative leave after the shooting.
The affidavit stated that the officers used Tasers on Sterling when he refused to comply with orders to put his hands on the hood of a car and that attempts to restrain him failed when they first arrived at the store,
reported CNN. Police arrived on the scene after receiving a report of a man threatening someone with a weapon outside the store.
The search warrant affidavit came to light after Abdullah Muflahi, the owner of the store, filed a lawsuit against Baton Rouge and the police department, charging that authorities illegally took him into custody and took control of his security system without a warrant.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said that the U.S. Department of Justice will lead the investigation of the shooting. East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar C. Moore recused himself from the case Monday, citing possible conflict of interest.
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