© The Daily Beast
In a blow to police accountability, Lt. Daniel Stephenson was found by his own department to have
acted in accord with department policy for shooting and killing Todd Browning.
The facts of the case are simple. On August 19, police were called because of
reports of a man armed with a knife. Shortly after the call, police encountered Browning, 54, less than a mile away. Within less than a minute after Stephenson walked to the front of his cruiser, he would
put four .223 rounds into the chest of Browning.
© unknown
Does this look like a knife?
Browning was not holding a knife. Instead, he was
'armed' with a water main key — a thin metal rod used for turning on and of water meters and waste valves.
The police agree on all of the above. However, it is what happened after Stephenson killed Browning that is the subject of controversy.
Police claim Browning charged the officer. But, from what we can see on the dashcam, this is a clear fabrication.
As the video begins, Stephenson is seen rounding the front of his cruiser. The two exchange words as Browning threatens Stephenson and vice versa. However, at no point do we see anyone charge anyone. In fact, Browning was barely inching toward Stephenson when the officer opened fire.
At no point was a less than lethal option even considered by Stephenson in the video. At no point did Stephenson back up. For slowly walking toward a police officer with a thin metal rod, Browning was put to death by his judge, jury, and executioner — Lt. Daniel Stephenson.
Immediately after the killing in August, police investigators released a statement to the media
claiming that a man ran at the officer. And since the investigation, no one in the media has questioned it — even as the
video clearly shows it is false.
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