Former Marksville, Louisiana police officers Norris J. Greenhouse and Derrick W. Stafford are currently awaiting trial for the murder of Jeremy Mardis, a 6-year-old autistic boy who was shot to death while seated in the passenger seat of his father’s car.
The shooting occurred on November 3, 2015, but body cam footage that shows the moments leading up to the shooting as well as its immediate aftermath just went public for the first time today.
A state judge ordered the release of the video, and it was published by the Associated Press moments later.
Our readers should be warned that the following clip, which shows Greenhouse and Stafford openly firing on the vehicle belonging to Jeremy Few is highly disturbing.
Few was struck several times, but survived the shooting.
Mardis was pronounced dead on the scene.
Footage from immediately after the shooting shows the officers admitting that they had no reason to believe that there were any weapons in the vehicle.
The chilling moment when they revealed that they were aware they had shot and killed "a juvenile" is also captured in the clip below:
"They got any weapons on them?" a higher-ranking officer asks Greenhouse and Stafford in the clip above.
"I have no idea," replies an officer off-camera.
Asked if he was aware there were two individuals in the vehicle, an officer who admitted to discharging his weapon is heard to say:
"I never saw a kid in the car, bro."
The officer wearing the camera says, "Yeah he’s … the kid is …" but fails to finish the sentence.
Louisiana State Police Superintendent Michael Edmonson described the footage as “the most disturbing thing I’ve seen.”
At one point, an officer can be heard vomiting off-camera.
Two other officers discuss how to proceed after they realize what has happened, with one instructing the other not to call police state police, but to instead:
"Get all these people away. And block this [road] off over here."
The officers pursued Few after they received a call that he had been arguing with his girlfriend at a nearby bar.
They opened fire after chasing Few’s SUV down a dead end street.
One of Mardis’ teachers has stated that the boy was unable to communicate verbally.
The two officers are facing charges for second degree murder and second degree attempted murder.
Sources say Greenhouse knew Few prior to the shooting, but the nature and extent of their relationship are unknown at this time.
We will have further updates on this story as more information becomes available.