Warning: Graphic content, readers’ discretion advised
HILLSBOROUGH, FLORIDA: The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office reported that a man who was shot by law enforcement after leading them on a chase during which he took a man hostage is in critical condition in the hospital.
According to a news release, John Corker, 36, was shot on Thursday, July 27, night after three deputies and an officer with the Dade City police opened fire on him following him pointing two firearms at them. The authorities can be seen pursuing Corker in videos from their body cameras as well as in the footage taken by the sheriff's office's aviation unit, which was made public by investigators on Friday, July 28. As per the sheriff's office, the reason behind the chase remains unknown.
What can be seen in the video footage released by the police?
At the beginning of the video, Corker can be seen jumping out of the moving SUV and running into the woods behind a store. Then, he moved toward the backyard of a house and even entered a shed at one point, as seen in the video taken by the aviation unit. Soon Corker got into a van and drove, leading to where the deputies were waiting, and they were heard saying, "He has got a gun," along with "he has got a hostage." In a later scene from the video shot by the aviation unit, a man is seen attempting to step out of a vehicle before it took off, as reported by Click Orlando.
The aviation unit can then be heard saying that Corker has something in his hands, after which, according to the news release, it was discovered that Corker was holding two guns. The police personnel then appear to duck for cover as Corker points a gun at them. Moreover, the bodycam footage captured him trying to hide behind a pickup truck as he was repeatedly told to lay down his firearm. They started to shoot when he failed to follow the orders. Sheriff Chad Chronister noted, "This wasn't a mistake or a misunderstanding; this dangerous felon made deliberate choices that endangered the life of an innocent victim and the lives of several law enforcement officers."
What are the charges against John Corker?
As of now, the number of hits Corker received has not been disclosed by the investigators. However, he faces charges of armed burglary of a vehicle, grand theft of a vehicle, armed carjacking, armed burglary of a residence, armed kidnapping, two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and two counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer. "The citizens are extremely lucky that no one was injured besides this suspect, and the only reason that no one was injured was because of the brave actions of law enforcement officers who serve and protect every single day," stated Dade City Police Chief James Walters, as per WearTv.
