St. Louis police have released body camera video that appears to contradict the department’s earlier account of the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Emeshyon Wilkins.

The new footage shows an officer firing into the back of his head as he ran away. 

According to CBS News, Wilkins was killed in June 2024 after officers attempted to stop a stolen SUV. At the time, the police stated Wilkins pointed a gun at the officers, but the newly released video does not show him holding or aiming a weapon. 

The video was obtained by the family’s attorney through federal discovery in a lawsuit against the department after records requests failed, attorney Al Watkins said.

“They fought that video issue for over a year,” Watkins told The Associated Press. “We had to file a federal lawsuit to get it. That’s not transparent. That’s not integrity. Indeed, it’s irresponsible.”

Authorities have still not provided a full explanation of what happened, according to the attorney. His mother, Shaina Wilkins, told a local TV station she is still waiting for answers and said her son “should still be here.”

Police have since acknowledged that information shared in the immediate aftermath was not consistent with what the video shows, and the department says it has changed internal procedures so a “body-worn camera unit” responds directly to scenes to help commanders review footage sooner.

"We recognize that the use of deadly force is difficult for everyone involved and for the community," said St. Louis Police Department spokesperson Mitch McCoy in a statement shared by CBS. "We are committed to being as transparent as possible, even in dynamic and rapidly evolving situations."

The department said an earlier look at the video “would have provided greater clarity” than what was available right after the shooting. Watkins said the SUV was moving slowly and that there was no threat to the public, while the suit says a firearm found in Wilkins’ pocket was disassembled and not capable of firing.

Wilkins, who had no prior criminal history, was a young Black boy who turned 17 just two weeks before his death.

“The nation is watching. Indeed, the world is looking at St. Louis. It is a vulnerable time in the U.S., one which requires adults in the room to act responsibly and without delay or gamesmanship,” Watkins said.