Family wants police to release bodycam footage of when officer shot, killed loved one

The family of a father killed by police says he was no threat and was searching for burglars when police confronted him.

The family of Charles Calhoun, 68, is now requesting a meeting with the police chief to see bodycam video of the shooting.

His family told Channel 2′s Tom Jones that Calhoun was on high alert after someone tried to break into his home.

Calhoun’s family said he grabbed his gun and walked out to search for burglars after he heard a noise.

His family says he was not the bad guy police are making him out to be. His daughter, Chelsea Calhoun, said her father was a great guy.

“He’s not a villain. He was a homeowner protecting his family. Protecting our house,” Chelsea Calhoun said. “Y’all took him from us, and I want them to know that they took a good man from this world.”

Clayton County police officers shot and killed Calhoun around 5 a.m. on March 23 after neighbors called 911, saying a man was walking around on Jenni Circle with a gun.

Police say Calhoun refused to drop his weapon and pointed his gun at them. They fired, killing him.

Calhoun’s wife, Sheryl Calhoun, said her husband was not violent and was no threat since he could barely walk.

“I want to know why they had to shoot him,” Sheryl Calhoun said.

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Sheryl Calhoun told Jones that someone tried to break into their home recently. On the morning of the shooting, she said her husband called her and said he thought someone was trying to break in again.

“He said, ‘I’m going to walk outside and see what I see,’” Sheryl Calhoun said.

She believes he fell in his driveway and didn’t know it was officers screaming at him since it was dark.

Sheryl Calhoun believes that he was trying to get up when the police opened fire.

Now the family’s attorney has written a letter to the police chief asking to see the bodycam video.

“We believe it can help this family in their healing,” family attorney Mawuli Davis said.

“I mean if the cameras showing justification for what … I can live with that. I can’t live with it until I know,” Sheryl Calhoun said.

Jones attempted to get a hold of the police to see if the chief was open to showing the family the bodycam video. He had not heard back at the time of publication for this story.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is currently working this case.

Sheryl Calhoun says she thought about calling police when her husband suspected a burglar was outside.

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