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Judge orders CMPD body cam to be released in teen's death

By Paul Boyd
By Paul Boyd

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Mecklenburg County judge ordered all Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department body and dash cam video to be released in connection with a deadly police shooting of a teen in 2016.

The shooting happened on University City Boulevard and North Tryon Street, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police told Channel 9. Officers initially responded to a shooting call on a Charlotte Area Transit System bus, according to CMPD Chief Kerr Putney.

IMAGES: Scene of officer-involved shooting in northeast Charlotte

Putney said a man on the bus was shot in the ankle and officers immediately began searching for the gunman. Officers determined the victim on the bus knew the shooter and it was not a random act of violence.

A short time later, two officers confronted Rodney Rodriguez Smith, 18, who they said was armed, on North Tryon Street. Putney told Channel 9 that the officers saw a gun, perceived an imminent lethal threat, and then shot Smith multiple times.

The officers involved were identified as Michael Bell and Garret Tryon.

The officers were cleared of any wrongdoing by CMPD and the district attorney, but the video wasn't released because of a new state law that took effect in October.

A local public radio station petitioned the court Thursday to release that video to the public.

CMPD’s attorney and the District Attorney’s Office supported the release.

However, attorneys for the officers argued against the release.

The judge is drafting the order for release while attorney's for the officer's consider an appeal.

CMPD indicated the videos would likely be posted to their website toward the end of next week.

Channel 9 anchor Paul Boyd is working on the story for Eyewitness News at 5 p.m.

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