The Aptos High School sophomore was fatally shot by deputy Chris Vigil on Saturday around 3 a.m. while the teen was armed with a knife, high on LSD, and struggling with a K-9.
The video is heart-wrenching.
“Everyone loses in cases like this,” Hart said. “This was a very unique, difficult, upsetting situation. It’s hard for me to watch this video. Luke Smith was a great kid. He was well liked by everyone.”
The video shows a dozen non-lethal 40 mm sponge rounds and Tasers having no effect on Smith. Even when the police dog bit onto Smith’s right arm, the teen was able to shake the dog off without losing his grip on the knife, Hart said.
Vigil fatally shot Smith once in the chest with an AR15 rifle while Smith was swinging his knife at the dog and Watsonville police K-9’s handler.
Those police officers were over militarized, the body cams however is a step in the right direction