Providence Releasing Body Cam Footage of Brown University Shooting Response Amid Ongoing Trauma
The City of Providence has released 20 minutes of body cam footage showing the initial police response to the fatal mass shooting at Brown University in December, which claimed two lives. The video, which includes multiple redactions, was part of a public records request and is being made available as the city seeks to balance transparency with sensitivity regarding the ongoing trauma.
The video begins 10 minutes after the call was dispatched on Dec. 13, featuring Lt. Patrick Potter's body camera footage. It shows Potter coordinating with other law enforcement officers, clearing floors, locating students, searching for the suspect, and getting medical help to victims. The incident is immediately identified as an "active shooter situation."
However, the video also includes black boxes and silence due to visual and audio redactions involving victims and the crime scene. Seven minutes into the footage, Potter and another officer with drawn weapons encounter a Brown University maintenance employee, who was later ruled out and released.
The police department's investigation into the shooting has been closed, and Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said that the video aims to strike a balance between being transparent and sensitive to the ongoing trauma. "We've tried to find that balance to both be transparent but be sensitive to the effect the video, audio, and written documents will have on a wound that is still very fresh," he said.
The release of the body cam footage comes as nine injured students have been released from the hospital, according to Brown University's announcement in early January. The police incident report described speaking to witnesses and victims, including one who was intubated and unable to speak.
A minute after Potter directed officers to search the building, he continued to direct an armed police escort for medical staff with stretchers. "Until we get better information, we're going to run around with our tails and our heads cut off," he said. "As of right now, we have no information as to where this person might be, so we're going to consider that this is still active."
The release of the body cam footage is part of a larger effort by the police department to provide transparency regarding the shooting response. The video can be viewed on YouTube and provides a glimpse into the initial response to the tragedy.
Content warning: This video shows distressing content that may be difficult for some viewers.
The City of Providence has released 20 minutes of body cam footage showing the initial police response to the fatal mass shooting at Brown University in December, which claimed two lives. The video, which includes multiple redactions, was part of a public records request and is being made available as the city seeks to balance transparency with sensitivity regarding the ongoing trauma.
The video begins 10 minutes after the call was dispatched on Dec. 13, featuring Lt. Patrick Potter's body camera footage. It shows Potter coordinating with other law enforcement officers, clearing floors, locating students, searching for the suspect, and getting medical help to victims. The incident is immediately identified as an "active shooter situation."
However, the video also includes black boxes and silence due to visual and audio redactions involving victims and the crime scene. Seven minutes into the footage, Potter and another officer with drawn weapons encounter a Brown University maintenance employee, who was later ruled out and released.
The police department's investigation into the shooting has been closed, and Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said that the video aims to strike a balance between being transparent and sensitive to the ongoing trauma. "We've tried to find that balance to both be transparent but be sensitive to the effect the video, audio, and written documents will have on a wound that is still very fresh," he said.
The release of the body cam footage comes as nine injured students have been released from the hospital, according to Brown University's announcement in early January. The police incident report described speaking to witnesses and victims, including one who was intubated and unable to speak.
A minute after Potter directed officers to search the building, he continued to direct an armed police escort for medical staff with stretchers. "Until we get better information, we're going to run around with our tails and our heads cut off," he said. "As of right now, we have no information as to where this person might be, so we're going to consider that this is still active."
The release of the body cam footage is part of a larger effort by the police department to provide transparency regarding the shooting response. The video can be viewed on YouTube and provides a glimpse into the initial response to the tragedy.
Content warning: This video shows distressing content that may be difficult for some viewers.
I'm not sure how much of this footage is gonna help anyone right now, especially with the trauma still going on... 20 minutes of body cam footage just sounds like a lot to take in. I mean, I get what they're trying to do - be transparent and all that, but at what cost? 
The fact that there's black boxes and silence due to redactions is pretty telling - it's like they're still trying to keep some stuff under wraps. And 7 minutes into the footage, they've already found a guy who gets released? Like, what even happened there? 
. Like, do they really need to put all this out there? It's not like it's gonna help with healing or anything... 20 minutes of footage is a looong time to watch, and I don't think anyone needs that much trauma in one sitting 
. And can we just say that the fact that some parts are redacted makes me think they're trying to sweep something under the rug? 
. And that maintenance employee, was he really needed? 
. And that officer's quote at the end... "we'll run around with our tails and heads cut off"... sounds like a bad joke 
. Just gonna leave this video up on YouTube, great idea 
. Can we just have some clarity for once? 
those students were thru hell last dec, and it's not right that they had to go through all that trauma. its good the police dept is working on being more open about their response, now we can all try to piece together what happened 
they're trying to balance transparency with sensitivity, but what does that even mean in a situation where people got shot? and all these redactions? who gets to decide what's sensitive?