EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The El Paso Police Department has released body camera footage from an officer-involved shooting that happened at a car wash in El Paso’s Upper Valley earlier this month.
The video footage was released on YouTube on Saturday night, March 23.
The incident happened around 1 a.m. on March 5 along the 5800 block of Doniphan. Police initially said that an officer was checking on a subject and during the encounter, police said the officer discharged his weapon and the subject died at the scene.
KTSM did a followup story on March 12 in which a Las Cruces family identified the man who was killed as Michael Estrada. Police had not previously identified the man before.
The family told KTSM that they had many questions about the incident.
Here is a link to the body camera footage that was released by the Police Department. Police warn that the video may contain content that is unsuitable for all audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.
In the video, the officer repeatedly tells the man, who is sitting in his car, to get out of his car and to relax. The officer also tells the man several times to show him what was in his hand. At one point, the man, who identified himself as Michael Estrada, said he had a gun.
The man also asked the officer several times, “Do you want to go home tonight?”
The officer is then shown firing his weapon multiple times.
Here is what the Police Department said about why they are releasing body-worn camera footage and audio about the incident.
“In our commitment to transparency and community engagement, the El Paso Police Department is releasing this critical incident community brief concerning an officer-involved shooting that occurred on March 5, 2024. This video is intended to provide our community with context and preliminary information surrounding the events of that day. Please note that the content presented is preliminary and not indicative of the final findings regarding the incident. The El Paso Police Department is dedicated to a thorough investigation process. Conclusions regarding the incident will only be drawn upon completing all investigative efforts, including analysis by independent agencies.”
The incident is still being investigated by the El Paso Police Department’s Crimes Against Persons Unit and the Texas Rangers, according to the Police Department. The El Paso Police Department’s Shooting Review Team, which is part of the Internal Affairs Division, is conducting an administrative review.
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