*Attorneys representing the family of a Honolulu man killed by police are speaking out after doorbell camera video contradicts the official report by law enforcement.
The video was made public by lawyers representing the family of Lindani Myeni, who was fatally shot by police in April after he mistakenly entered the wrong home, as reported by ABC News. According to the report, the footage shows that when Myeni entered the home he quickly left after he startled the couple inside the residence. He repeatedly apologized to them.
Myeni’s widow filed a wrongful death lawsuit alleging officers shot her South African husband due to his race.
READ MORE: Maryland Police Tase and Hogtie Teen for Vaping on Boardwalk [VIDEO]
South African rugby player Lindani Myeni was fatally shot by police in Hawaii in April 2021 — now his family is suing for wrongful death (warning: distressing) pic.twitter.com/SKb4INjLee
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) June 17, 2021
Police released body camera footage showing Myeni’s encounter with police outside the home. One officer fired several gunshots before saying, “Police!”
Here’s more from ABC News:
The doorbell footage shows that Myeni arrived at the house soon after a couple entered the home that night. According to depositions in the lawsuit, the man and woman were tourists staying in the multi-unit dwelling, the lawyers said. The footage shows Myeni walking into the home, wearing a face mask and his umqhele, a traditional Zulu headband. He is later seen standing outside the house, his phone and headband in his left hand.
According to the lawyers, the woman in the home called 911 and told an operator about the man and that he had no weapons in his hands. Myeni is heard in the video outside the home saying repeatedly, “I’m sorry.”
The video also captures the couple on phone calls. The man is heard telling someone that Myeni apologized before leaving. The woman sounds upset while speaking to the 911 operator.
When confronted by police outside the home, the victim repeatedly asks “Who are you?”
Attorneys believe Myeni may not have known the people shining bright lights in his eyes were police. It is likely he mistook the house for a similar-looking temple next door that’s open to the public, per the report.
Police shot him first and then identified themselves as police. They basically murdered the man.
Police claim the couple was frightened by Myeni’s strange behavior, and that he violently attacked responding police officers, with one suffering a concussion.
“Mr. Myeni’s death is tragic,” Mayor Rick Blangiardi said in a statement. “We await both sides making their arguments in court, consequently I have no further comment at this time.”
The lawyers who released the video said Honolulu police “tried to convince the public that this was a burglary and that Lindani Myeni was acting erratically; but the doorbell video we have now obtained from the owner shows that HPD knew all along these stories were untrue.”
The statement added: “We have also compelled the City to turn over unredacted body cam footage in its original format, producing much better quality audio and images than the version that HPD played for the press on April 16, 2021.”
The footage is posted on YouTube by Justice for Lindani Myeni.
We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!
