(This story may be updated.)
Security camera video released by the Simi Valley Police Department Aug. 19 shows the roughly two-minute span in which an officer shoots a man under her watch at Los Robles Regional Medical Center in Thousand Oaks last month.
The overall video, which runs three minutes and 19 seconds, opens with nearly a minute of written narrative about the July 2 shootingbefore a hospital hallway appears in the frame. In its message about the video, Simi police said it provides additional context.
The video has no sound and shows Officer Carly Grice shooting Luis Santiago Ramirez-Macias and the moments shortly before and after. He is blurred in most of the video because he is naked once his hospital gown falls away early on, and a bloody
scene unfolds after he is shot and treated.
Within days of the shooting, The Star requested body-worn camera video from Simi police. Cmdr. Bryan Samples said by email Aug. 19 there was no body-worn camera activation, but did not explain why. The hospital video is all the Simi police has and is responsive to the public records request, he said.
As previously reported, the Simi Valley man had been arrested earlier in the morning after a domestic violence incident in which he had suffered a self-inflicted wound. He and his wife were transported to Los Robles for treatment.
The shooting happened around 12:20 p.m. July 2 while Ramirez-Macias, 47, was being treated for self-inflicted wounds, police said previously.
Grice sought help from nursing staff for additional medical treatment of the man. During that time, the man used a glass medical vial he had obtained and that he fashioned into a "edged weapon." He used it on himself before attacking Grice, police have said.
After the shooting, Grice was placed on paid administrative leave and returned to duty Aug. 5., Samples said in the Aug. 19 email.
What does the hospital video show?
After the narrative and at 51 seconds, the action unfolds rapidly. The hallway camera from above shows a hospital worker enter a room and a second soon approaches the doorway. The first worker backs out of the room, and both she and the second worker back away into the hallway. A third worker comes into the hallway and then a fourth.
About 15 seconds later, Grice backs out of the room, and the man walks closely toward her. Seconds later, the officer officer draws her weapon in her right hand.
Grice holds up her left hand in front of her as the man approaches. His left arm outstretched, Ramirez-Macias moves toward her. He makes small motions with his left hand.
Two other male hospital workers are behind the man when Grice and Ramirez-Macias circle around at arms length. Now, the male workers are behind her as she holds her gun in her right hand.
At 1:12, the officer shoots the man at close range at what appears to be his left hip area or upper leg. He falls to the ground and blood splatters around him.
She briefly holsters her weapon and takes it out a second time. From the ground, he continues to crawl and lunge toward her. She backs into an unoccupied corner reception area and appears to pick up a radio, momentarily looking away from the man.
At 1:22, he finally stops and falls to the ground on his right side. She points her gun at him. Seconds later, Ramirez-Macias rolls onto his stomach and appears to stop. Grice looks over her right shoulder, calling back the hospital workers.
At 1:35, a worker grabs cloth items from a cart in the hallway and rushes to treat the man, and two other workers quickly join in the effort.
At 2:04, the man sits up somewhat and squirms as he’s being treated. The officer joins in holding him. Grice, meanwhile, wipes or treates Ramirez-Macias' right hand with a bundle of cloths.
At 2:29, he eventually is turned onto his back as workers continue to treat his gunshot wound. One hospital worker appears to treat his right arm.
The video cuts out at 2:59 and returns to a screen with additional written narrative.
Ramirez-Macias was eventually booked into Ventura County jail on suspicion of felonies for attempted murder and inflicting corporal injury to a spouse, according to jail records. He has also since been charged with felony assault on an officer and faces several special allegations.
He is being held without bail, according to jail records. Ramirez-Macias has pleaded not guilty to his charges and denied all special allegations, according to Ventura County Superior Court records. He is scheduled to return to court Sept. 22.
The shooting is still under investigation, Simi police said. The department continues to cooperate with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, which is conducting the investigation because the shooting happened in its jurisdiction in Thousand Oaks.
Stacie N. Galang is news director at the Ventura County Star. She can be reached at 805-437-0222 or stacie.galang@vcstar.com.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Hospital video from Simi police shows shooting but body-camera absent
