Video Shows Man Charge at Officer With Knife

April 7, 2016
Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters said that Gendale Officer Josh Hilling showed "remarkable restraint in the confrontation of an individual who was clearly armed."

Newly released body camera video shows a man armed with a hunting knife charge at a Gendale, Ohio police officer and tell him to kill him more than 40 times.

Officer Josh Hilling was cleared in the March 29 shooting of 46-year-old Javier Aleman on I-75 after the officer stopped to help the man who was walking along the southbound lanes carrying a backpack, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer.

At a news conference Tuesday, Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters said the 31-year-old officer showed "remarkable restraint in the confrontation of an individual who was clearly armed."

Aleman was a fugitive wanted by police in Maryland in connection with a homicide this year that officials said likely involved the same knife.

The video shows Hilling attempt to give the man a ride, but before allowing him inside his cruiser, he tells Aleman, "I'm going to pat you down, for officer safety."

As the officer starts to say that again, the man pulls out the knife and shouts: “Kill me! Kill me! Kill me now!”

With the knife in his right hand, Aleman charges toward the officer before Hilling fires one shot, wounding Aleman and knocking him to the pavement.

Aleman then stands up and says, "I'm going to kill you."

For the next one and a half minutes, Hilling attempts to keep the man at bay while he continues to approach him with the knife.

The incident ended when a Sharonville police officer arrives and subdues Aleman with a Taser.

Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Neil said Hilling likely didn't fire additional shots because he was able to move away from the man.

"Distance is an asset for a police officer," Neil, whose agency investigated the shooting, said at the news conference. "What you (saw) here was an officer trying to de-escalate an offender who was bringing deadly force forward . . . It's just excellent police work."

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