Moment Arizona cop shoots 'ISIS-supporting terrorist' after the 18-year-old charged at him with a knife
- WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES
- Authorities on Thursday released video of the January 7 confrontation between suspect Ismail Hamed and a sergeant at a police station in Fountain Hills, Arizona
- Police say Hamed had 911 and asked to speak with a law enforcement officer
- A sergeant responded to the call and his body camera recorded the incident
- Hamed threw rocks at the sergeant before approaching him with a knife
- The officer fired two shots at Hamed after he ignored multiple warnings
- Hamed, who was born in the US, was described by police as a violent extremist
- He was taken to a hospital and charged with aggravated assault the next day
Body camera footage released by Arizona authorities on Thursday shows the moment 18-year-old terrorism suspect Ismail Hamed (above) was shot by a Maricopa County cop as he appeared to be charging the officer with a knife outside a police station in Fountain Hills on January 7
Arizona authorities have released body camera footage of the moment a police officer shot a terrorism suspect who was charging at him with a knife.
Ismail Hamed, 18, was arrested following the confrontation with a Maricopa County sergeant outside a sheriff's substation in Fountain Hills on January 7.
Hamed, who was born in the US, has been described by police as a homegrown violent extremist in the process of 'radicalizing'.
He was trying to 'promote terror' by harming the deputy in the 'lone wolf' attack, according to investigators.
At a press conference on Thursday, Sheriff Paul Penzone played the body camera video as well as audio from a 911 call Hamed placed minutes before he was shot.
During the call, Hamed asked to speak with MCSO officers and warned the 911 dispatcher that he was armed with rocks and knife.
'I would like to do something in protest for the people suffering in Palestine and in the Middle East,' he says.
'I owe my allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.'
Police say Hamed called 911 and asked to speak with a law enforcement officer, telling a dispatcher that he was an ISIS supporter and warning that he was armed with rocks and a knife. A sergeant responded to the call and his body camera recorded the ensuing altercation
Hamed allegedly pulled out a knife and began advancing toward the sergeant, who issued multiple warnings telling the suspect to drop his weapon
When a sergeant showed up at the substation, his body camera filmed Hamed throwing rocks at him as the officer repeatedly shouts: 'Back off!'
Hamed then pulls out a knife and walks toward the sergeant.
'Drop it. Drop the knife. I will you shoot you,' the sergeant says.
The suspect ignores the warnings and keeps advancing before the sergeant fires two shots at him.
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Hamed was taken to a hospital and then booked into jail on an aggravated assault charge the following day.
Prosecutors later tacked on a terrorism charge, alleging that Hamed provided 'advice, assistance, direction or management to the Islamic State of Iraq.
He pleaded not guilty to that charge on January 24 and is due back in court on March 8.
The sergeant fired two shots at Hamed, causing him to fall to the ground
Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone (above) spoke at a press conference on Tuesday
The Maricopa County Attorney's Office made an effort to seal the probable cause statement, a police report, 911 calls and footage of the incident, but a judge ordered the release of those records earlier this week amid pressure from the media.
An initial press release from the sheriff's department said: 'On the afternoon of Monday, January 7, 2019 a caller repeatedly called 911 stating he wanted to talk to an MCSO deputy at the MCSO Fountain Hills Substation located at 16705 E. Ave. of the Fountains, Fountain Hills, AZ.
'At approximately 5:35pm an MCSO Sergeant went outside to the substation parking lot and contacted the subject, later identified as an 18-year old male from Fountain Hills.
'The male subject began throwing rocks at Sergeant. The suspect then brandished a knife and advanced towards the Sergeant, despite his repeated commands for him to drop the weapon.
'The Sergeant discharged his service weapon which incapacitated the suspect. First aid was rendered on scene and the suspect was transported to the hospital. At the time of this release the suspect is expected to survive his injuries.
'The investigation into this incident is ongoing and more details will be released as they become available.
