Body camera footage shows shootout between Columbus SWAT officer, 22-year-old suspect
Body camera footage from Columbus police officer Rodney Mayberry released on Tuesday shows that a 22-year-old man who had said he wanted to "shoot it out with police" got his wish.
Around noon on Sunday, Rodriguez Fitzgerald, 22, was at a home on the 2900 block of Azelda Street in North Linden. Police released 911 call information showing a woman called twice that morning to report her ex-boyfriend, later identified as Fitzgerald, had attempted to assault her on Saturday, was threatening her on Sunday and had multiple active warrants for his arrest.
The 911 audio also indicated that Fitzgerald had a firearm illegally, a Glock handgun with a device called a switch on it that turns the semi-automatic weapon into an automatic one.
Officers were able to confirm Fitzgerald had warrants for felonious assault, discharging a firearm into a residence and other charges. Information from the 911 calls and radio reports released by Columbus police show Fitzgerald had relayed to other people, who relayed to officers, that he wanted to "shoot it out with police."
Columbus police called a SWAT team in to help with the response to the home.
What happened when Columbus police officers got there?
According to body camera footage from a sergeant on the scene, officers knocked on the front door of the house, announcing themselves and telling Rodriguez, by name, that he was under arrest and had outstanding warrants.
Before shots are fired, a woman can be heard screaming from inside the house about how she's "scared" as officers try to question her about who else is in there and asking the location of Fitzgerald.
The woman continues screaming as officers radio to each other that a person had gone out the back door of the home and then gone back inside the residence, according to the video. About a minute later, Fitzgerald fires two of more than 30 gunshots that were exchanged between him and Mayberry.
Fitzgerald was in an alley behind the home when he fired the first shots while Mayberry was behind a fence, the video shows. Radio traffic indicated that Fitzgerald then jumped a fence line and continued to fire at Mayberry, who returned fire.
At one point in the video, Mayberry can be seen reloading his handgun.
What happened after the shooting?
The gunfire exchange lasted about 90 seconds before Fitzgerald said, "You got me, you got me." He then threw his handgun over the fence line and was approached by officers.
The video shows Fitzgerald remains verbally defiant of officers, yelling profanities at them as he is placed in handcuffs and moved from a small, overgrown space between a shed and fence line into a more open space where he could receive medical treatment from officers until paramedics arrived on the scene.
"I had fun with your (expletive expletive)," Fitzgerald tells Mayberry.
Fitzgerald then says "I'm sorry," as other officers move him.
Mayberry has been a Columbus police officer for 25 years. He is currently on paid leave, as is Division of Police policy for officers involved in shootings.
Fitzgerald was taken to OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital in critical condition, but was upgraded to stable condition and will survive his injuries. Columbus police said Fitzgerald will be charged with felonious assault on a police officer in connection with the shooting.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is investigating the shooting, as is city policy for any shooting involving a Columbus police officer in which a person is injured or killed.
Dispatch reporter Jordan Laird contributed to this story.
bbruner@dispatch.com
@bethany_bruner
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Body cam video shows shootout between Columbus SWAT officer and suspect
