Michael Cho surveillance video

At his press conference this morning, attorney Mark Geragos replayed video from a Korean language newscast showing the last minutes of Michael Cho’s life.

Cho was shot and killed in a confrontation with police officers outside a La Habra liquor store during the holidays.

An investigation by the Orange County DA’s office backed the police officers who took part in the shooting. Geragos is hoping a civil suit against the PD will get Cho’s grieving family some money.

Here’s a YouTube video of the channel 18 broadcast. (Note: it’s delivered in Korean) You can clearly see Cho approach the officers. The shooting takes place off camera. I’m sure some of the officers who read this blog can provide a blow-by-blow explaining the tactics used by the two officers in the video…

Video on the jump


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18 thoughts on “Michael Cho surveillance video

  1. I don’t really get it. I see that the officers are super uptight and the suspect or target doesn’t look to me all that threatening. However, they (the cops) look pumped.

    A little foreshadowing for a jury.

  2. When 2 cops have guns pointed at you and you simply walk toward them and away from them– it’s clear he was not listening to anything they were asking him to do. Clearly a threat to the cops who have no clue what he’s thinking if directions and guns aren’t enough to get him to cooperate.

  3. What a surprise, the all knowing Miss H. has determined, without hearing what the suspect or officers are saying that the suspect with the tire iron in his left hand doesn’t look all that threatening. Taking the suspects side from the get go, what a shock that is. Think you wouldn’t be pumped up Miss H. when you have a uniform, badge and gun, and are telling somebody to drop a tire iron but they decide to stroll off? Should you maybe be thinking there’s something pretty wrong with this guy and I’d best be very careful?

    Gee Miss H., what do you think the officers are saying to Cho? Might they be ordering him to put down the tire iron? Based on my own personal experience I think that’s what they’re doing. Did you notice Cho advanced on them and they retreated back? Who would that make the aggressor? Did you notice the officers lowered their weapons as he walked away? Think a tire iron can be a deadly weapon because I think so?

    Did you notice Miss H. Cho just walks away from the officers, after saying something to them? I noticed he did and didn’t drop the tire iron either. Wouldn’t it be nice to know what he said before jumping to his defense? Hasn’t he already smashed out a bunch of car windows with the tire iron which is why the cops are there in the first place? I believe that’s already been verified. Yet you decide to take up for him and question the officer’s response, officers who probably didn’t take part in any crimes on the way to the scene. I would find someone with a normal thinking process and no built in agenda, taking up for Cho based on this video alone very odd. I’m sad to say I don’t find it odd for you.

    The cops tactics were fine; in fact they look text book. Cho has already shown his disregard for them and the law by his actions prior to them arriving and his disregarding their obvious commands. Though you can’t see why or how the shooting took place I’m going to side with the officers based on Cho’s actions alone. Hes the one with the problem that can be seen and he already demonstrated, not the officers.

    Now I realize people might think I’m a little biased. Silly me thinks officer safety should be the primary concern of every officer that puts on the badge. I never cared what the press, any lawyer or suspect’s family or friends thought of my actions. My survival came first and I would be damned if my kids were ever going to lose their dad to some asshole.

    Cho might have been a great guy, for the most part, but he obviously had some wires go bad the day he was killed. If anything in this case is obvious it’s certainly that. That can’t really be argued and to anyone who takes his side based on this video is one of three things. Either they are a cop hater, a simple-minded mental deficient or a soft-headed liberal. Oh, I forgot the fourth, a scumbag defense attorney like Geragos and his boy.

    Take your pick.

  4. 7-11 should sue that liquor store for blatantly stealing their logo.

    They sued the “8-12” market in Philly years ago.

  5. Tire Iron vs Police fire arms.

    Can anyone say, less than lethal force?
    This could easily be suicide by cop but regardless I often don’t understand why less than lethal force wasn’t used.

    Whomever SOLELY takes the officers side and doesn’t at least RECOGNIZE the standpoint of the suspect is one of 4 things.
    1) All about the Thin Blue Line
    2) Part of the 20 odd percent of Americans that still approve of George W Bush
    3) One that holds very little compassion towards the public and operates off of a “us vs them”
    4) An uneducated twit that retorts to belittling statements to prove their own ill conceived notions.

  6. Tire Iron vs Police fire arms.

    Can anyone say, less than lethal force?
    This could easily be suicide by cop but regardless I often don’t understand why less than lethal force wasn’t used.

    Whomever SOLELY takes the officers side and doesn’t at least RECOGNIZE the standpoint of the suspect is one of 4 things.
    1) All about the Thin Blue Line
    2) Part of the 20 odd percent of Americans that still approve of George W Bush
    3) One that holds very little compassion towards the public and operates off of a “us vs them”
    4) An uneducated twit that retorts to belittling statements to prove their own ill conceived notions.

  7. Local Boy sounds like a real dickhead Fox news watching Rush Limbo watching dittohead. You have been programmed boy.

  8. Nothing to do with Rush, I don’t listen to him but yes i would agree that pretty much all liberals suck. The fact is nobody knows what happened but the officers and Cho. Fact is Cho advanced on the officers didn’t he Jo? All you who like to bash cops without knowing anything about tactics are just big mouths with no facts to point to that can make your point.

    Wait a minute, you didn’t have a point did you Jojo? Sorry I forgot, you don’t have to argue as liberals, you can just show you can be a smart ass with tired cliches. Good job Jojo, you’re using that g.e.d. well. Another internet poser. Get back to your 40 ouncer and Grand Theft Auto game, adult conversation is over your head.

    Anonymous /Public Servant, You don’t understand why it was used because you didn’t see the last seconds of the confrontation before it was used. Me neither, but I saw who the agrressor was, saw the tactics the officers were using and with about 30 years of experience in the field have a gut feeling as to what caused the deadly force. Could I be wrong, maybe, but someone comes at me with a tire iron they don’t get less than lethal if they’re too close.

    CHO WAS TOO CLOSE.

    LASD deputies once killed a guy who came at them with a sword. Some idiot reporter asked Sherman Block why they didn’t use less than lethal (which by the way don’t always work as you hope they will). He replied, “My men don’t get paid to tie”.

    I agree with Sherman.

  9. Local Boy, You’re a dad? I feel sorry for your children. I can’t believe someone with children would not be outraged with the way the two La Habra police officers handled this situation. What right did they have to gun down this young man? I could understand it if he also had a fire arm, but he was holding a tire iron and he did not look in any way aggressive, he did not lunge at the officers, he was pacing back and forth. He was obviously nervous or anxious for some unknown reason. Perhaps he did have a mental problem, but we will never know exactly what was going through his head will we because he’s dead. I have family who are police officers and I know they are trained to use non-lethal force in situations such as this. So, it’s not about being a cop hater, it’s about the way these two officers made a very poor choice and everything they were trained to do was just thrown out the window. Now a family is left grieving for their son for the rest of their lives!

  10. Yeah MG because without seeing how this event ended you somehow know how this tragedy played out at the end. I based everything that I wrote on what happened that can be seen on the video and Cho’s actions that caused the police response in the first place. You somehow know more than anyone else apparently involved in this event. Pleae tell me how you gathered all the information you have that allowed you to arrive at your conclusion, besides this video.

    I don’t think you have a clue, not a clue as to what you’re talking about. Like Miss H. and other “blame the cops first types” you ask “what right” the cops had to “gun down” this young man. I don’t know, didn’t see the end and neither did you. I know they have the right to use lethal force though don’t they? How can you say they didn’t need to without seeing the end of the confrontation? You can’t and you’re replacing common sense with feelings, typical for some people but it proves nothing about the actions of the involved officers. How come you haven’t asked “what right” Cho had to pick up a tire iron and not only smash out car windows but advance on officers who are there to handle the situation? Yet you’re from a cop family? Oh wait, he might have had mental problems so it’s not his fault, I get it. I got stabbed by a guy with “mental problems” so spare me.

    I saw what happened before the end of the confrontation though and how close did Cho get to them without them using any force? He didn’t in any way look aggressive? Didn’t he advance on the cops and didn’t they step back? Does that look like the cops being anxious to shoot him? He didn’t lunge at that point but since you’re all knowing you know that he also didn’t out of camera range. Give me a break.

    For someone who has law enforcement in their family you have no idea what you’re talking about, none at all. Would you second guess your own family member if they were one of the officer’s involved? Without seeing the end of the confrontation? Want someone who has been busting out windows with a tire iron to get close enough to your family member to do them some serious damage? Or are you going to believe them when they tell you they had to use lethal force? If so, what’s the difference?

    All the people here who are bitching the actions of these officers without knowing what took place in the final moments and downplaying the fact that Cho caused this confrontation and his actions on the tape are crazy.

    It’s tragic a young man died, it would be more tragic to me if a young cop didn’t make it home because he didn’t use the force he needed to. Look up Ken Wrede on the internet and you’ll see what happens to a cop who hesitates. All my family has seen this tape and we all agree it’s tragic but will side with the officers unless it’s proved they acted wrongly. Of course people like you and the cop hater Miss H. will give the benefit of the doubt to the guy with the tire iron who smashed out a bunch of windows before the cops arrived. That is very sad.

    I knew Ken Wrede, though not well, and that was a tragedy. Here’s a little bit of info on him.

    ——-
    Kenneth Scott Wrede was Police Officer with the West Covina Police Department. On August 31, 1983 he responded to a call of a suspicious person in the area of Francisquito Avenue and Glenview Street. At that intersection Officer Wrede located the suspect, who was under the influence of PCP, and made contact. The suspect did not comply with Wredes commands and assaulted the young officer with a tree stake. Eventually the fight moved to the area of Wredes patrol car where the suspect was able to wrestle the shotgun from the vehicle. The suspect was able to fire one round from the shotgun, fatally wounding Officer Wrede.

    Ken Wrede was 26 years old and had been with the department for only a few years. Since his death, his parents and family have been very involved with the support group Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS) founding the Southern California chapter and providing support to many families throughout the years. Kens ultimate sacrifice to the community should not be forgotten.
    ——

    Ken’s scumbag of a killer is still on death row.

    In reading your post once again MG, I have to tell you that your arrogance, like Miss H’s constant arrogant cop hater stances, is deplorable. You said “..these two officers made a very poor choice and everything they were trained to do was just thrown out the window. Now a family is left grieving for their son for the rest of their lives!” What a line of b.s., just make things to fit your agenda, proof isn’t required is it?

    Unbelievable MG! Thank God we live in a country where stupidity isn’t a crime, you’d be in jail.

  11. Giradot is there anyway to block users comments?
    lol.
    Anyways, just the way you talk Local Boy, I can’t fathom trying to understand your point of view with such an abundance of ridiculing statements.

    Your disrespect and hatred of liberals (and i’m an INDEPENDENT) shows that you truly aren’t fit to wear that badge. You are a disgrace to whatever force you are a part of, as you show no compassion to people on a mere internet site, you resort to using childish terms to attempt to justify your position, a true police officer enforces (not interpret, that’s for the court) LAWS and does not ACT ON EMOTION also uses training to keep in line and the countless other things that MAKE YOU A PULBIC SERVANT, I can only imagine what kind of an officer you are in public.

    That’s me assuming you are an actual officer and not some kid faking it and sitting online flaming posts.

    I really thought these posts were meant for people to constructively discuss how they feel and for all of us to learn something. Can you stay on topic and at least express your POV in a way that it doesn’t resort to rhetoric, empty statements, and childish arguments?

  12. I’m not a cop, was but not now I’m out to pasture so you can rest easy. Secondly I don’t like liberals or their thought process, they disgust me in the area of law enforcement mostly but many other areas as well. Like you they can only shout but not argue a point I make. You didn’t argue my points, just was upset about my style. I’m the type that likes in your face discussion, obviously that’s a bit much for you. Which arguements of mine are childish by the way, or is that just a typical liberal open ended statement based on “feelings” that were hurt? Please back it up, I love a good arguement, just be nice because that’s what’s most important, not the truth. By the way Einstein, I stayed on topic, you’re full of crap and posting just to see yourself vent. I wrote based on his post, get a grip.

    I should hide that I think liberals are idiots because some people don’t like it? I don’t think so, last I looked I still had 1st Ammendment rights just like you. I do disrespeect liberals, so what, they don’t disrespect conservatives? They don’t make decisions straight out of the twilight zone while ruing my state that directly affects my life? They do run this 15 billion in the hole state don’t they? Did you know that there are liberals in the state legislature that think it’s ok to possess a small amount of child porn? Having worked sex crimes in my day that tends to upset me and so yeah, liberals tend to irritate me. You ok with the thought process that allows that possession? Probably not, I don’t even think most liberals feel that way, but I’d be shocked if even one conservative did. I err on the side of safety and that’s just one example for you, there are plenty more.

    As for your last paragraph, maybe you should learn simple debate or go play somewhere else. The guy I responded to made statements without a bit of fact to back him up. He attacked the cops and I defended them, why do you have a problem with that? This is the standard way liberals make posts. Look at Miss H. that’s all she ever does and when confronted can’t argue to save her life. To point that out is wrong though huh? Because I’m not some reachy/touchy liberal schmo. Isn’t going to happen partner.

    Where some guys are ok with the title “Public Servant” I never was. I was a cop for a long time not a “servant”. My job was to “keep the peace” and the best way to do that was to put idiots who wanted to disturb that peace in jail. I did that a lot. I loved doing it but am happily retired.

    By the way, if you’re under the impression that the guy I responded to about the Cho video was “constructive” when he made his baseless claims regarding the officers training being thrown out the window, among other things, and blaming them without knowing crap than you’re a bit of hypocrite. I’m not going to be nice to people who attack cops without justification, the job meant to much to me, my family members still in it and others I still care for. I’ve always been this way and won’t change. This is a subject that is very close to my heart and I am pasionate about it.

    If you want to debate politely go for it, I can do that. Throw out some facts about any part of this incident you think i’m wrong about and I’ll respond truthfully. If my “Gonzo” style (that’s for you Frank) disturbs you too much don’t read my posts and don’t respond to this. I promise that my feelings won’t be hurt since that’s what matters most to the PC people like you. Amazing how liberals, and you are one dude, always want to block the speech of those who they disagree with. I thought you guys were the progressives?

    Well, back to my cave.

    Have a nice day now.

  13. Gee Public Servant, I was actually polite to you in my first response or did you miss this?

    Anonymous /Public Servant, You don’t understand why it was used because you didn’t see the last seconds of the confrontation before it was used. Me neither, but I saw who the agrressor was, saw the tactics the officers were using and with about 30 years of experience in the field have a gut feeling as to what caused the deadly force. Could I be wrong, maybe, but someone comes at me with a tire iron they don’t get less than lethal if they’re too close.

    CHO WAS TOO CLOSE.

    LASD deputies once killed a guy who came at them with a sword. Some idiot reporter asked Sherman Block why they didn’t use less than lethal (which by the way don’t always work as you hope they will). He replied, “My men don’t get paid to tie”.

    I agree with Sherman.

    Now “you” go on the attack without arguing anything I posted to you before. Bottom line is you’re a poser with no facts to back you up or you would have posted some. Yeah you liberals are really smart.

  14. By the way Public Servant if you’re a cop I hope you’re not being counted on as a back by anyone I care for. Because where ccompassion is fine to have, for those who deserve it, it certainly shouln’t be the first thing a cop should think off.

    I wrote a much longer post to you. It hasn’t showed up yet but if and when it does I’m sure you’ll once again try to deny my 1st Ammendment rights like the true “progressive” you are.

  15. It’s sad that this ended in the loss of someone’s life. Whether or not the police officers involved will be held responsible for their actions will not be decided by any of us reading or leaving comments. I personally am grateful that the police stopped this person who was a clear threat to the community in which I live. Perhaps there was a less lethal way, but on the other side of the coin, it doesn’t appear to me that the officers were reckless.

    This incident happened a few blocks from my home. My wife works in La Habra, my kids go to school here, we attend church and shop here in La Habra. I am grateful for the police department in their efforts to keep us safe from criminals and dangerous people.

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