Crewmember On TV’s ‘COPS’ Shot Dead By Police While Filming

Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer speaks during a news conference at police headquarters in Omaha, Neb., Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2014. Police who opened fire while disrupting a robbery at a fast-food restaurant struck a... Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer speaks during a news conference at police headquarters in Omaha, Neb., Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2014. Police who opened fire while disrupting a robbery at a fast-food restaurant struck and killed Bryce Dion, a crew member with the longrunning "Cops" television show and the suspect, who was carrying a pellet gun, authorities said Wednesday. Schmaderer said he believes the three officers involved acted properly during the attempted robbery (AP Photo/Nati Harnik) MORE LESS

Police shot and killed a crewmember of the show “COPS” who was filming an attempted robbery on Tuesday night, according to Omaha police.

Sound technician Bryce Dion was killed by “friendly fire” by police responding to a local Wendy’s, police chief Todd Schmaderer (pictured above) said in a press conference Wednesday.

The robbery suspect — later revealed to have been wielding an airsoft rifle, a type of recreational gun that fires non-lethal plastic pellets — was also shot and killed by police fire.

“COPS” had been filming in Omaha since June. Dion and the show’s cameraman were embedded with the police unit and followed the officers at the scene Tuesday night, according to police.

Schmaderer said the “very dramatic video” captured by the show’s crew will serve as evidence in the investigation of the officers involved in Dion’s shooting.

“The video footage was recovered and is evidence in the investigation,” Schmaderer said.

He added that in his view, the “COPS” footage justified the officers’ conduct on the scene.

“Based on our viewing of the footage, the officers had no choice but to respond in the way they did,” Schmaderer said.

h/t Omaha World‑Herald

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  1. That camera must have looked like fucking bazooka.

  2. “Based on our viewing of the footage, the officers had no choice but to respond in the way they did,” Schmaderer said.

    The former sound technician was unavailable for comment…

  3. “Based on our viewing of the footage, the officers had no choice but to respond in the way they did,” Schmaderer said.

    Don’t take it personally Chief Schmaderer, but I don’t believe you and unfortunately there’s plenty of evidence to the contrary all across the country. Unless the officer’s life was in immediate danger, there were other choices.

  4. Don’t make me post the lyrics to “Police Truck” two days in a row.

  5. O. M. G.

    Go to the World Herald article and look at the picture.

    The cops must have had a fully automatic weapon to get that bullet pattern.

    The cops feel it was justified, why? Is it because they also killed the black guy with the fake gun?

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