THIS
THIS VIDEO AND WHAT DO POLICE HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS? GOOD EVENING,
I M DEBORAH KNAPP.
WE BEGIN WITH A KENS 5
EXCLUSIVE.
BODY CAMERA VIDEO-- OF A
SAN ANTONIO POLICE OFFICER
SHOOTING AND KILLING AN UNARMED
TEENAGER.
EYEWITNESS NEWS REPORTER
MARVIN HURST HAS BEEN WORKING
FOR MONTHS TO GET THIS VIDEO.
YOU RE SEEING IT FOR THE
FIRST TIME -- ONLY ON KENS 5.
NINE
NINE SECONDS... IN THE DARKNESS OF AN OCTOBER MORNING...
...CHANGED EVERYTHING FOR AN
18-YEAR-OLD WHO HAD JUST BECOME
A FATHER.
CHARLES "CHOP" ROUNDTREE WALKED
INTO THIS SAN ANTONIO HOME
ALIVE.
HE LEFT 217 ROBERTS STREET IN A
BODY BAG.
CHOP ROUNDTREE WAS KILLED BY A
BULLET FIRED BY A SAN ANTONIO
POLICE OFFICER, A BULLET MEANT
TAKE DOWN HIS FRIEND DAVANTE
SNOWDEN.
ALL OF THIS STARTED, POLICE SAY,
AFTER A COUPLE SELLING SOUP IN
THIS NEIGHBORHOOD WAS ATTACKED.
00:31:27-CASANOVA-DO YOU AN ID?
MARIA-YES I DO.
CASANOVA-OK."
OCTOBER 17, 2018 A COUPLE
DELIVERING MEXICAN CHICKEN SOUP
TO A FACEBOOK CUSTOMER WITH AN
INFANT IN THE CAR ONE IN THE
MORNING FLAG DOWN SAN ANTONIO
POLICE OFFICER STEVE CASANOVA.
00:50:29-MARIA-"HE JUST POPPED
HIM IN THE FACE THREE TIMES.
CASANOVA-AND THAT S ALL HE SAID?
MARIA-LOOK. I WANNA PRESS
CHARGES.
CASANOVA-WHATWHAT...HOLD ON
GIVE ME A SEC. WHAT WAS HE
WEARING?
MARIA-HE WAS WEARING A GRAY
SWEATER, BLUE JEANS. HE S
BLACK.
CASANOVA-BLACK. OK. WHERE S YOUR
ID? LET ME SEE YOUR ID."
OFFICERS WERE WATCHING THE HOME
MARIA HERRERA AND ESTEBAN
PRECIADO PARKED ACROSS THE
STREET FROM.
217 ROBERTS STREET IS A
DOCUMENTED DRUG HOUSE. CASANOVA
BRINGS ANOTHER OFFICER UP TO
SPPED
01:21:05-CASANOVA-"SHE HAD GOT
DOWN ACROSS THE STREET....SHE
WAS DROPPING OFF TO SELL MENUDO.
MARIA-I M SELLING CALDO DE
POLLO. AND UH
CASANOVA-AND UH THIS IS THE GIRL
I SAW...HOLD UP...HANG ON. THIS
IS THE GIRL THAT I SAW THAT WAS
ACROSS THE STREET. THE GIRL IN
THE PINK WAS AT THE DOPE HOUSE.
DUDE FROM THERE CAME OUT AND
F ING WENT UP TO THEM AND WAS
F ING TALKING S T SAYING
DON T BE F ING ON MY BLOCK AND
F ING PUNCHED HIM IN THE FACE.
OFFICER-ALRIGHT.
CASANOVA-CUZ THEY WERE PARKED
THERE? SO, IT LOOKS LIKE WE NEED
TO GO CHECK THE HOUSE."
STEVE CASANOVA, THE OFFICER
TAKING THE CRIMINAL COMPLAINT
AND WEARING A BODY CAMERA, IS A
FIVE-YEAR VETERAN OF THE FORCE
WHO IS FAMILIAR WITH 217 ROBERTS
STREET.
02:14:10-CASANOVA-"GIVE ME THE
WHOLE RUNDOWN, OKAY."
EYEWITNESS NEWS HAS BEEN WORKING
TO GET THIS BODY CAM VIDEO FOR
MONTHS, IT ARRIVED IN AN EMAIL,
SENT BY SOMEONE WISHING TO
REMAIN ANONYMOUS.
IN A STATEMENT, SAPD SAID THEY
COULD NOT COMMENT ON THE CASE OR
AUTHENTICATE THE VIDEO BECAUSE
ROUNDTREE S FAMILY IS SUING
THEM.
WE WERE ABLE TO VERIFY THE
VIDEO S AUTHENTICITY WITH
SNOWDEN S CRIMINAL ATTORNEY.
02:46:22-CASANOVA-"WAS HE
YOUNGER?
MARIA-YEAH. LIKE IN HIS 20S.
CASANOVA-WAS HE SKINNY, FAT?
MARIA-SKINNY. TALL.
CASANOVA-HOW WAS HIS HAIR?
MARIA-UMM...COMO ERA SU PELO?
NO TENIA VERDAD? HE DIDN T
HAVE ANY."
WITH THE SOUP SELLER S COMPLAINT
IN HAND, CASANOVA MAKES PLANS TO
GO TO THE HOME.
14:21:01-CASANOVA-"YES
MA AM....MYSELF, 16 AND 40 ARE
GOING TO GO TO THE 200 BLOCK OF
ROBERTS."
TWO OFFICERS MAKE 217 ROBERTS
WITH CASANOVA.
INSIDE OF THE FRONT ROOM ARE
DAVANTE SNOWDEN, CHOP ROUNDTREE
AND EYEWITNESS TAYLOR SINGLETON.
POLICE CLAIM SNOWDEN IS ARMED.
15:27:20-CASANOVA-"WHAT S UP
MAN? YOU LIVE HERE?
MAN-NO SIR.
CASANOVA-YOU DON T? WHO S
STAYING HERE RIGHT NOW?
MAN-I DON T KNOW.
CASANOVA-YOU DON T KNOW. REMOVE
YOUR HAT FOR ME. I RECOGNIZE
YOU."
CASANOVA WALKS ON THE PORCH,
PULLS ON A SCREEN DOOR AND
KNOCKS ON THE DOOR IN FRONT OF
HIM.
15:56:25-CASANOVA-"
HIM. 15:56:25-CASANOVA-" DAVANTE-WHAT S UP?
CASANOVA-WHAT S UP MAN?
DAVANTE-HEY WHO THE F K IS
THIS?
CASANOVA-"HEY LEMME SEE YOU
F ING HANDS!!! F K! SHOTS
FIRED!! OH SH T!! WATCH OUT!!
MOVE OUT MY WAY!!
DISPATCHER-2330 YOU SAID SHOTS
FIRED?
CASANOVA-F K! GET BACK!!
OFFICER-BACK! BACK! BACK!
CASANOVA-GET THAT F ING DOG
OUTTA HERE!
OFFICER-WHAT DID YOU SEE?!!!
WHAT DID YOU SEE?!!!
CASANOVA-HEY HE HAD A FUCKING
GUN AND PULLED IT OUT..
DISPATCH-2330 HAS SHOTS FIRED."
OFFICERS SCATTER TO POSITIONS OF
PROTECTION. THEY CALL FOR
BACK-UP AS BARKING DOGS ALSO
TAKE A PROTECTIVE STANCE.
REMEMBER THE MAN WHO WAS ON THE
PORCH EATING? HE WANTS OUT OF
THE LINE OF FIRE.
16:54:28-DISPATCHER-"2330
ANYMORE INFORMATION?
OFFICER-CRAWL OUT HERE MAN!!
YOU RE GOING TO GET SHOT! JUST
CRAWL OUT! CRAWL OUT THE GATE!
CASANOVA-MOTHERF KER DUDE! HOLD
UP! HOLD UP!"
HE CRAWLS OUT UNDER THE BEAM OF
CASANOVA S FLASHLIGHTBUT A PIT
BULL FOLLOWS HIM. AN
OFFICER/ANIMAL CONFRONTATION
BEGINS.
17:26:29-OFFICER-"BACK OFF!
WATCH OUT!!"
IT QUICKLY ENDS. THE DOG WAS
KILLED.
17:41:00-WOMAN-"HEY! WHAT S
GOING ON?!
CASANOVA-HEY...STAY IN THE
F KING HOUSE!!!
OFFICER-STAY INSIDE!!
OFFICER-GET IN YOUR HOUSE AND
YOU WON T GET SHOT!!!
DISPATCHER-2230...ANYMORE
INFORMATION?
DISPATCHER-2230...ANYMORE INFORMATION? CASANOVA-HEY I M GOING TO RUN
OVER.
POLICE RADIO-SHOTS ARE BEING
FIRED! HOLD THE AIR!
DISPATCHER-ALL OFFICERS STAND
BY.
POLICE RADIO-YOU NEED TO CLOSE
DOWN ROBERTS..
CASANOVA-THAT F CKER DUDE!
HEY...IT S A YOUNG CAT. HE HAD
F KING A UH UH HAT ON DUDE. HE
HAD A F KING GUN IN HIS WAIST
HE WAS PULLING IT OUT."
CASANOVA CASTS A SHADOW ON THE
STREET AS HE GRABS THE POLICE
RADIO.
18:33:25-CASANOVA-"I HAVE A
FEMALE INSIDE THE HOUSE---AND I
HAVE TWO BLACK MALES RANGES FROM
20-30. TWO GUYS WITH A HOODIE ON
ONE HAD A HAT. THE GUY HAD A GUN
IN HIS WAIST LOOKS LIKE A NINE."
POLICE FORTIFY THEIR PERIMETER.
20:13:09-OFFICER-"COME OUT OF
THE HOUSE GUYS!! WE RE NOT
LEAVING UNTIL YOU COME OUT!!!
DISPATCHER-HAMILTION AND POPULAR
ALSO NEED TO BE BLOCKED OFF."
THEN, THE FIRST HINT THERE S AN
INJURY INSIDE THE HOUSE.
24:45:10-CASANOVA-"HE S YELLING
SOMETHING. I DON T KNOW WHO S
HIT BUT SOMEONE IS HIT IN THAT
HOUSE."
POLICE TIGHTEN THEIR GRIP ON THE
SCENE
25:54:19-OFFICER-"YOU IN THE
HOUSE OPEN THE FRONT DOOR.
CASANOVA-HEY SHE YELLED IT S
OPEN BRO. TELL HER TO COME OUT."
26:13:05-OFFICER-"COME OUT ONE
AT TIME WITH YOUR HANDS UP."
AND OUT OF THE HOUSE COMES
DAVANTE SNOWDEN WITH HIS HANDS
IN THE AIR.
ONE-BY-ONE EVERYONE IN THE HOUSE
COMES OUT---HANDS UP AND FORCED
TO WALK BACKWARDS. EVEN AN
ELDERLY MAN ON A CANE MUST
COMPLY.
46:34:17-CASANOVA-"SHE SAID IT
WAS A BLACK MALE BETWEEN 20 AND
25, HE HAD SHORT HAIR AND THAT
HE HAD GRAY PANTS ON WITH A
HOODIE."
CASANOVA RECOUNTS HIS VERSION OF
WHAT HAPPENED TO AN SAPD
DETECTIVE.
47:03:04-CASANOVA-"THE FRONT
DOOR LIKE SLIGHTLY OPEN. SO I
KNOCKED AND IT SWUNG OPEN. THE
GUY WITH THE GUN WAS SITTING
DOWN DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME.
THERE WAS A FEMALE NEXT TO HIM
AND ANOTHER YOUNG KID NEXT TO
HIM....THAT LIKE I SAID THEY
BOTH KIND OF MATCH THE
DESCRIPTION THAT I WAS GIVEN.
AND HE SAID WHO IN THE F K ARE
YOU? HE LOOKED AT ME AND I GUESS
IT TOOK HIM A WHILE TO REALIZE
THAT I WAS AN OFFICER. SO WHEN
HE DID THAT HE GOES MAN YOU
CAN T F KING...AND HE KINDA
STOPPED WHAT HE WAS DOING. AND I
COULDN T SEE WHAT WAS EXACTLY IN
HIS WAIST BECAUSE HIS HAND WAS
COVERING IT. THEN HE KIND OF
MOVED IT SLIGHTLY AND I SAW A
GUN."
47:42:19-CASANOVA-"BUT HE TOOK
LIKE TWO STEPS TOWARDS ME. AND
THEN HE KINDA WENT TO THE SIDE.
AND HE WAS LIKE LIFTING HIS
SHIRT UP. SO I FIRED I BELIEVE
TWO ROUNDS AT HIM."
WE ASKED LEGAL EXPERTS GEAREY
REAMEY AND GEORGE SAIDLER TO
WATCH THIS BODY CAM FOOTAGE.
REAMEY IS A ST. MARY S LAW
SCHOOL PROFESSOR WHO IS AN
EXPERT IN SEARCH, SEIZURE AND
THE USE OF FORCE BY POLICE.
27:16-GEAREY-"I WOULD LIKE FOR
BOTH OF THESE PARTIES TO HAVE
EXERCISED A LITTLE MORE
RESTRAINT...TO ACTED A LITTLE
BIT LESS QUICKLY."
GEORGE SAIDLER WORKED IN LAW
ENFORCEMENT FOR A TOTAL OF 45
YEARS AT SAPD, THE BEXAR COUNTY
D-A S OFFICE AND THE BEXAR
COUNTY SHERIFF S OFFICE. HE S
INVESTIGATED OFFICER INVOLVED
SHOOTINGS. AND HE SEES AN
OFFICER FIRING IN SELF-DEFENSE.
13:53-GEORGE-"HE DIDN T HAVE
MUCH TIME TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
HE FIRES AND I THINK WHERE YOU
CAN COME UP WITH HE S FIRING FOR
HIS SAFETY---HE FIRES AND BACKS
AWAY. HE DOESN T STAY AT THE
DOOR. HE DOESN T CONTINUE TO GO
IN...AND TAKE HOLD OF THE
PERSON. HE S AFRAID AND BACKS
UP."
BUT THERE S A MAJOR QUESTION
ABOUT WHY CASANOVA NEVER
IDENTIFIED HIMSELF AS AN
OFFICER.
11:27-GEAREY-"IF HE S SHINING A
LIGHT INTO THE HOUSE WHICH HE
NEEDS TO DO FOR HIS OWN
SAFETY---TO MAKE SURE HE CAN SEE
IF IT S DIMLY LIT INSIDE. HE
CERTAINLY NEEDS TO IDENTIFY
HIMSELF QUICKLY BECAUSE HE S
WEARING A DARK UNIFORM. THIS IS
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT....SO
IT S NOT GOING TO BE THAT CLEAR
TO ANYONE WHO IS ON THE PORCH."
29:06-GEORGE-"HE S JUSTIFIED IF
HE S DEFENDING HIMSELF OR A
THIRD PARTY. IN THIS CASE IT S
PRETTY OBVIOUS HE S DEFENDING
HIMSELF. HE PUTS HIMSELF IN THE
LINE OF FIRE. HE S IN FEAR OF
HIS LIFE."
05:27-GEAREY-"THERE S NOTHING AT
THE POINT OF THE SHOOTING THAT
WOULD JUSTIFY A USE OF DEADLY
FORCE IN ORDER TO MAKE AN
ARREST."
45:55-GEORGE-"I M NOT AWARE OF
ANYTHING RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF MY
HEAD THAT I SEE...THAT JUST
STANDS OUT TO ME AND GO---YEAH
THAT S NOT THE WAY YOU SHOULD
HAVE HANDLED THAT."
23:26-GEAREY-"IF I WATCHED THIS
VIDEO AND SOMEONE ASKED IF HE
HAD A GUN OR NOT I COULDN T
ANSWER THE QUESTION BASED ON THE
VIDEO."
POLICE DID FIND A GUN BUT IT WAS
NOT INSIDE THE HOUSE.
THE LAW PROFESSOR SAYS MOST
GRAND JURIES ARE SYMPATHETIC TO
POLICE AND ACT ON RECOMMENDATION
FROM THE DA S OFFICE.
SO, THESE NINE SECONDS MAY NEVER
REACH A COURT OF LAW---WHICH
MEANS NO CRIMINAL CHARGES FOR
THE KILLING OF AN UNARMED TEEN
AT 217 ROBERTS STREET.
01:02:12:14-CASANOVA-"THIS ALL
STARTED BECAUSE OF A F KING
LADY FLAGGED ME DOWN SAYING THAT
SOMEONE IN THE HOUSE PUNCHED
HER."
MARVIN JOINS US NOW.
MARVIN -- HAS THIS SHOOTING
REACHED A GRAND JURY?
DEBORAH.THE CASE IS STILL
BEING REVIEWED BY THE DA S
OFFICE.
OFFICER CASANOVA REMAINS ON
ADMINISTRATIVE DUTY UNTIL THAT
PROCESS IS OVER.
MARVIN, HOW DID YOU GET
THIS VIDEO AND WHAT DO POLICE
HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS?
WE REACHED OUT TO OFFICER
CASANOVA S LAWYER ABOUT THE
CASE. HE DID NOT RESPOND.