Bodycam: Calif. Police Rescue Children After Suspect Dangles Child From Window

Newly release body camera footage captured California police officers saving three children from a suspect who threatened them with a machete and held one of the youths outside a second-story window earlier this month.

The incident happened shortly after midnight when Susanville police responded to a call requesting officers do a welfare check on children, who were staying with Ngirasiau “Derek” Sikong, according to the police body camera video. The reporting party claimed Sikong was acting aggressively and wouldn't release the children. 

The reporting party told officers Sikong had said he had taken drugs. They also said Sikong was threatening to hurt the children with a machete.

When police reached the scene, they made contact with Sikong, who was at a second-story window with a machete. As officers talked to Sikong, he became more agitated and dangled one of the children out the window.

Police ordered him to drop the machete, but he refused, stabbing and slashing the window sill. He then put the child below the window and made a stabbing motion.

That's when an officer opened fire, and police breached the apartment. When they entered, Sikong allegedly attacked an officer, who shot the suspect.

According to the Lassen County District Attorney, the officer suffered a large cut to the shoulder, KRCR-TV reports. Another officer fired a less-lethal bean beag round at Sikong when refused to drop the machete after he was shot.

Police provided first aid to Sikong, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. The injured officer was treated at the hospital and released.

The three children were rescued by police. They were unharmed.

An investigation by the district attorney found that the officers were justified in using force, and no charges would be filed against them.