WILMINGTON, Del. - The Delaware Department of Justice, the City of Wilmington and Wilmington Police Department have jointly released bodycam footage from the June 24 deadly shooting of Kadir Skinner. Three videos of officers' body-worn cameras have been published to the Delaware DOJ YouTube. The footage starts before each officer arrives at the scene and ends once they return to their cars.
Shortly after the footage was released, Skinner’s family and legal team addressed the videos Thursday afternoon at Shiloh Baptist Church.
Attorney Chance Lynch said the videos call into question the original reports that a crowd had gathered that night and that Skinner was seen coming out of a residence pointing a firearm.
“I can tell you what I didn’t see — when the police pulled up, I didn’t see a large crowd,” Lynch said. “I saw a large crowd after he fired shots and shot him in the back, and Kadir was lying in the street saying, ‘I can’t breathe.’”
“What we saw and what we witnessed was an unjustified killing, an unconstitutional shooting,” Lynch said. “How are you a threat when you are running away?”
Attorney Harry Daniels said the family does not believe Skinner was running from police, but was instead being chased by a dog.
Daniels said the family is seeking justice through the criminal justice system and has notified the City of Wilmington of a $25 million wrongful death claim. The claim is not a lawsuit.
“This is not about finance. It’s about family,” Daniels said.
Daniels also expressed the family’s appreciation that the DOJ, the city and the police department released the footage for the public to see.
“I think that it goes a long way toward the pursuit of justice from the call from the community,” Daniels said.
“We recognize that this footage can be difficult to watch, particularly for Kadir's family, friends, loved ones, witnesses, and the many members of the Wilmington community who have been deeply affected by this tragedy," said House Speaker Melissa Minor-Brown, House Majority Leader Kerri Evelyn Harris, and House Majority Whip Ed Osienski in response to the release of video.
According to Wilmington Police, the shooting happened shortly after officers responded to a large gathering in Wilmington on June 14. Officers say they saw the 19-year-old, Kadir Skinner, leaving a nearby house with his gun pointed toward a crowd. When they approached him, Skinner ran and an officer shot him, according to investigators. The officer who shot the 19-year-old has since been placed on administrative leave.
The faces and names of all witnesses and officers at the scene have been redacted in accordance with the DOJ's regulations for active investigations.
House leadership says the deadly shooting points to a bigger problem, "This case has also highlighted broader questions about how Delaware responds to officer-involved shootings and how confidence in those responses can be strengthened.”
The shooting remains under investigation by the Division of Civil Rights and Public Trust. In the meantime, the Delaware Legislative Black Caucus is calling for change.
"Our Caucus has long advocated for policies that strengthen transparency and improve accountability within our justice system," said the caucus.
Back at the House of Representatives, lawmakers say their commitment to supporting a fair and transparent justice system remains "unchanged."
According to DOJ policy, the officers involved will be identified and published as part of a fully detailed public report once the investigation is concluded.
