BART Releases Full Bodycam Footage of Controversial Fatal Police Shooting

 BART Releases Full Bodycam Footage of Controversial Fatal Police Shooting

The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Police Department has released the full body camera video from a fatal police shooting that occurred in January. The incident, which claimed the life of 28-year-old Shaleem Tindle, has sparked outrage from his family, who are calling the shooting murder and pursuing legal action.

The bodycam footage, made public on Wednesday, captures what Officer Joseph Mateu saw during the incident near the West Oakland BART station on January 3. The video reveals Mateu responding to gunshots he reportedly heard while dealing with a separate fare evasion case. As he approaches the scene across the street, the video shows Tindle on the ground, struggling with another man on the sidewalk.

Officer Mateu can be heard yelling, "Raise your hands!" twice. Seconds later, he fires three shots, hitting Tindle in the back. Tindle’s family believes the shooting was unjustified and demand accountability. LaRon Mayfield, Tindle’s brother, expressed grief and disbelief over the manner of his brother’s death.

“My brother didn’t do anything to deserve getting shot in the back,” Mayfield said. “It was an unjustified murder, and it wasn’t right.”

According to Mayfield, Tindle was unaware the police officer was the one who shot him. “My brother didn’t even know who shot him until he turned around with hands up, and then he saw it was the police,” he said. “My brother didn’t have no gun in his hand.”

The family’s attorney, John Burris, also criticized the officer’s actions after reviewing the footage. He called the video disturbing and claimed it supports the family’s view that the shooting was not justified. “What we can see is the man’s hands come up and nothing in his hands, at least at the time the police shot him,” Burris said.

However, others argue that the footage does not tell the full story. Richard Correia, a former police officer and certified expert in police practices, offered a different perspective. He pointed out that the bodycam video represents just a brief, chaotic moment and cautioned against drawing definitive conclusions from it alone.

“I don’t see anything on this video that suggests at this point on this video that this was unreasonable,” Correia said. “It’s intense. You can’t tell a lot of things. I don’t think it solves the puzzle of exactly what happened here.”

Despite those opinions, Tindle’s family remains convinced that Officer Mateu acted recklessly and should be prosecuted. They are preparing to file a civil lawsuit against BART police and the officer involved.

“He just went out like a cowboy and shot my brother in the back,” said Mayfield, voicing the family's ongoing anguish.

At a press conference held the same day the full video was released, BART Police Chief Carlos Rojas provided additional context and addressed the public's concerns. He said Officer Mateu had been engaged with a fare evader when he heard gunshots coming from across the street. Responding immediately, the officer encountered the struggle between Tindle and another man.

Chief Rojas displayed a still image from the bodycam footage, pointing out what appeared to be a firearm involved in the struggle. “It looks like one individual is trying to pin that gun to the ground,” he said. “And I believe the individual who's trying to fight for his life has already been shot by Mr. Tindle.”

Rojas admitted it is unclear whether Officer Mateu saw the gun during the confrontation, stating that more details would emerge during the ongoing criminal investigation. “Did the officer see this? I don't know if he did or not,” Rojas said. “But what I can tell you is this is what the video shows.”

The police chief also said he called the press conference in response to what he described as misinformation circulating after partial video leaks. The full footage, he emphasized, is now available to the public for transparency.

As the investigation continues, the incident remains a flashpoint for debates about police use of force, transparency, and justice in officer-involved shootings.




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