Ventura police release body cam video of recent police shooting

VENTURA, Calif. - The Ventura Police Department has released body camera footage of a deadly police shooting earlier this month. Chief Darin Schindler said his department released the video in an effort to be transparent.

He said there are several ongoing investigations into the fatal shooting of Javier Magana, 32, of Oxnard. Schindler said the community is allowed to know what happened.

Cmdr. Sarah Starr said the video released Monday night only shows one officer's point of view. The video shows the incident in real time and in slow motion.

Starr said she was the watch commander that night and she said the department also released audio recordings of the calls.

Ventura police picked up the pursuit from Oxnard police who were following a suspect in another shooting.

The pursuit went on Highway 101 and then onto surface streets. Starr said they used spike strips to deflate the driver's tires.

When Magana's black Honda crashed into a fence on Harbor Blvd., east of Seaward, a foot chase followed.

Police said the suspect shot at them before being shot. The video appears to show him drop his gun and making a run for it before falling to the grounds.

The family of the suspect killed released another photo of their loved one. They visited the police station to view the video before its release.

Javier Pulido Magana's fiance Amber Garcia said " I know he made a wrongful decision that led up to his unfortunate death, but all in all, he was a good man with such a kind genuine loving heart that cared so much for the people he cared about. "

She said he will be truly missed, everyday.

"He was a great son, brother, cousin and fiancé and even though he made some wrong choices they don't define his character as a human being," said Garcia.

Magana's loved ones plan to share his ashes this Thursday on what would have been his 33rd birthday.