Video: Steen death
Below is the video from the in-car camera in Pensacola Police Officer Jerald Ard’s cruiser, taken the early morning of October 3, 2009. The video shows Officer Ard pursuing Victor Steen, then striking and killing the teenager with the vehicle.
NOTE: Please be warned that the video depicts a death, and some may consider it objectionable. Viewer discretion is advised.
For our previous text-only description of the video, see our article “In-car video from Steen death played in court.”
Credit goes to Rick Outzen and Co., who were able to get this online faster than I was.
Subscribe to our feed
Get updates via email
Follow us on Twitter
This doesn’t look even close to criminal. As soon as the youth comes into the headlights he is hit, during a turn. This really should have been determined non-criminal just by the State Attorney. Police are inviolved in chases as part of their daily job. A tragic accident is not a criminal act.
Ok, where’s the link? I even went to Rick’s Blog and I still don’t see a link to the video.
False alarm… I got it – just had to wait for the slow internet to catch-up.
If you are a kid on a bicycle being chased by a police cruiser that is being driven as though the cruiser is being aimed at you, would you stop?? Seriously, folks. The cop was even driving up on the sidewalk chasing that kid. He was aiming to hit that kid.
the cop opened his car door (hear the alarm bell?) tazed the kid (hear the tat-tat-tat?) and whipped the car around and ran over him as he fell. Then he continues with his hot headed tantrum. What’s he kicking? His car?
No way, it was obviously an accident, if your bizarre theory is true the officer could have hit him with his car at any time, he obviously turned into the child by accident,
I don’t believe the investigation into this incident is determining whether the officer acted intentionally, but whether or not the actions taken were warranted or excessive.
If anything, this me think twice about using my bike as a mode of transportation in Pensacola.
“the cop opened his car door (hear the alarm bell?) tazed the kid (hear the tat-tat-tat?) and whipped the car around and ran over him as he fell. Then he continues with his hot headed tantrum. What’s he kicking? His car?”
The noise you are referring to is the seatbelt notification. The officer removed his seatbelt so that he could get out of the car. The “hot-headed tantrum” was an officer agonizing over an unfortunate and unintentional outcome. The noice you describe as kicking his car sounded like the car door opening and closing to me. Contrary to your obvious distaste for law enforcement, the people wearing the uniforms are human, too. Did you ever stop to think how gut-wrenching it was for Officer Ard to see Victor Steen? To know there was nothing he could do to change what had just happened? How can anyone believe Officer Ard wanted this outcome?
I sgree with the posts in favor of this being an accident. Before I saw the video I had only heard speculations. And at the time I chose to believe Ard may have acted intentionally because of my own underlying resentment for most police officers who couldn’t pass a physical fitness test to save their lives, much less the life of someone else. But after veiwing the Vid it is obvious that officer Ard did everything he could to stop the kid without inncident. He repeatedly yelled stop!! and if he wanted to kill the kid why shoot a tazer instead of the issue 9mm barreta?? and if the tazer hit him, he would have fallen instantly as soon as you hear pop pop pop pop, that’s a butt load off volts firing, enough to have dropped Steen cold if hit… Steen wrecks his bike right as Ard is trying to head him off. Complete accident!! Why call EMS so fast if intentional?? too many facts point to accidental death.. Although it was an accident, I still argue that if physical fitness requierments were more thoroughly enforced, maybe Ard could have gotten out and Steen down on foot.. Hard lesson in chasing bikes with cars,, and to laying off the Krispy Cream..
Ran (him down on foot) **
This is very wrong, i believe that some police officers get into the business just to kill. & for everyone who’s saying this wasn’t done intentional, then you are all just as wrong as officer ARD. He could have esily called for backup. & the thing is, he wanted Steen to stop because he “Looked” suspicious .. Come on now, that’s beyond crazy. I pray for Officer Ard, because he need’s it. Steen did not deserve that. He really didn’t … NO human being does , & i bet that if Steen was another race, Ard would have not even stopped or even harrassed him like he did..
Hi Stacy, well said. We have to remember the original mindset of policing in this country: to protect the haves from the have-nots, says Ron Hampton, 23-year veteran of the Washington, D.C., Police Department. And in America, whites, especially affluent white males, have economic and political power to define criminal behavior and penalties, to set and control the police agenda, and to regulate and enforce discipline or not…
I realize that this tragedy is so calloused to the rights and welfare of citizens, in that the “details” should have shaken the city to its entire roots…