After reviewing video recovered from Winston Smith’s phone, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office agreed with earlier findings by a third party that deadly force was justified when officers shot and killed Smith in the summer of 2021 in Minneapolis.

County Attorney Ron Hocevar said that the use of force from officers was "…necessary to protect these officers from death or great bodily harm" and that "the St. Paul Police Department officers acted appropriately and within the law.

Here is the video Winston Smith recorded when he was fatally shot by authorities in June 2021. Warning: This video is graphic. The BCA says, "The officers at the vehicle’s window begin to strike it in an attempt to gain access to Mr.

Winston B. Smith, who was fatally shot by sheriff’s deputies in Minneapolis more than three years ago, raised a handgun in the direction of officers and said “just shoot” before apparently exchanging gunfire with them,

Newly uncovered video of the 2021 law enforcement shooting that killed Winston Smith "does not change the conclusion" that officers used justified force and should not be charged, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced Friday.