MILFORD, Conn. — On day three of the trial for Connecticut State Police Trooper Brian North, jurors got a close look at multiple videos taken from the body cams of officers on the day that Mubarak Soulemane was killed.
North is facing a manslaughter charge in connection to 19-year-old Soulemane's death.
People inside the courtroom Wednesday heard directly from the officers on the scene when Soulemane was killed. Multiple body cam video clips taken on Jan. 15, 2020, the day the shooting happened, were also played.
As seen on video, troopers made an unsuccessful attempt to stop Soulemane in a stolen car on I-95 south. Prosecutors played the dispatch calls during the police chase.
"Be advised, he's armed with a knife," an officer said over the radio transmission.
Troopers followed Soulemane onto Campbell Avenue in West Haven, where he crashed into another car and finally came to a stop under an overpass.
Jodi Longley, a witness who was pulled over on the night of the shooting, watched the incident play out with her eyes on Soulemane, in the passenger seat of the car.
“I just saw him sitting there. Like I said, there’s a lot of commotion. Everything happened within seconds. Honestly, when I was looking, I didn’t see any movement," Longley said.
As seen in the body camera video, Trooper North goes to the driver's side window of Soulemane's car with his gun drawn, while another trooper goes to the passenger's side.
A West Haven officer is seen breaking open the passenger side window as North asks CSP Trooper Jackson to use a non-lethal weapon.
“Jackson, pull the taser! Taser!” said North.
Moments later, officers testified that they saw Soulemane reach for his knife. North shoots Soulemane seconds after, hitting him three times.
RELATED: Man killed by Connecticut state trooper was having mental health problems, witnesses testify
"He's seated in the car, nothing in his hands, locked doors, windows up, correct?" Inspector General Robert Devlin asked West Haven Police Sgt. Jordan Zwickler.
Zwickler said that he did not feel endangered, but agreed with Trooper North's defense attorney that he "had lethal cover because of the danger of the situation."
Jackson recalled the moment he saw Soulemane reach for the knife when Jackson shot him.
"He had it in his hand at the grip of the knife. And he was moving it in an aggressive manner, as if he was planning to do something with the knife," Jackson said.
Devlin questioned the so-called "aggressive movement" and whether or not the officers had a plan at the time.
The defense followed and asked if Jackson or anyone else could have been hurt with the knife.
"Correct," Jackson replied.
Devlin said he planned to rest his case after the lunch recess on Thursday, when it will be determined whether or not North will take the stand. The defense will begin its case Friday morning.
Julia LeBlanc is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jleblanc@fox61.com Follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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