Body camera footage shows Raleigh police officers fatally shooting a gunman

Newly released body camera footage shows the moments a Raleigh police officer fatally shot a suspect in the head.

On March 27, police shot and killed a gunman the video shows was shooting at officers and into parked cars near Ligon Magnet Middle School.

On April 3, police released a 5-day report on the shooting that named Jorge Luis Vega-Lesama as the suspect who had been killed.

The videos released Wednesday show when Sgt. R.A. Sirianna and Officers M.L. Adams and P.J. Fernstrum collectively fire seven shots at Vega-Lesama, one fatally striking him in the head.

The videos show the three officers arriving at the 700 block of Cumberland Street, just east of downtown, around 7 a.m.

The officers quickly identify a man in a “white tank top” they believe matches the description of the suspect. They get out of their cars and begin to approach him. Adams sees he is armed and relays this to the other officers.

“Hey!” Adams shouts.

Vega-Lesama then begins firing at the officers.

Adams fires three times at Vega-Lesama.

Vega-Lesama then retreats behind a house in the neighborhood temporarily. Seconds later, he begins firing at officers again.

The video footage from Sirianna’s body camera shows him exiting his police vehicle with a rifle. He is repeatedly fired at and cannot determine where the suspect is shooting from.

Sirianna then fires four shots, killing the suspect.

In the video, he is heard breathing heavily as he and the other officers approach Vega-Lesama who is seen lying on his back, bleeding onto a driveway. Siranna kicks away Vega-Lesama’s gun and continues to aim his weapon at him, accompanied by Adams and Fernstrum.

A total of 14 shots can be heard fired in the videos; seven by Raleigh police and seven by Vega-Lesama.

The entire shootout lasts 32 seconds before Vega-Lesama is fatally shot. At no point do the officers issue Vega-Lesama any commands.

Sirianna called for emergency medical services at 7:07 a.m.

EMS arrived roughly six minutes later and took Vega-Lesama to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead, the report states.

Raleigh police new de-escalation policy

Late last year, Police Chief Estella Patterson approved a new de-escalation policy for all Raleigh police officers. The two-page document says that officers are to take actions or communicate verbally or non-verbally before or during a potential force encounter.

The policy also states that officers may proceed with the use of force after deploying a de-escalation policy if it is deemed necessary, particularly for their physical safety.

The policy does not describe what action should be taken if a suspect is firing at police before they engage with the suspect.

Sirianna, Adams and Fernstrum are still on leave, which is protocol in a police shooting.

This story was originally published May 3, 2023 at 12:28 PM.