Body camera footage shows moment police heard what sounds like gunshots at Oakley apartment
By: Body camera footage released by the Cincinnati Police Department shows the moment officers heard what they believed to be shots fired inside an Oakley apartment building in August.
Police originally responded to a 911 disconnect at an apartment building on Millsbrae Avenue at around 3:30 p.m. Aug. 26. Video shows officers on the first floor of the building as music blares from upstairs.
"He needs to turn that down," an officer says.
"He does that at 3 o'clock in the morning all the time," someone off-camera responds.
Someone then begins walking up to the second floor and knocks on the door. Multiple loud bangs can then be heard as the officers run out of the building.
"Within 15 minutes of arriving on scene to investigate the silent 911 call, officers heard several loud bangs in succession, which they believed to be gunfire, coming from the address," police said. "In an abundance of caution, officers immediately retreated from the building, took cover, and requested SWAT to respond to the scene."
Justin Birkenshaw, a man who said he lives in the apartment building, had previously said he was speaking with one of the cops outside the building when he heard what sounded like five to seven gunshots.
"One of the neighbors had some kind of firearm that we weren't aware of — it sounded like it was pointed right at the door at the police who were trying to talk to him," Birkenshaw said. "If it wasn't direct fire at them, I don't know what it would be because it was literally right at them."
No one was injured when the perceived shots were fired. SWAT was able to make contact with the person and police did re-enter the building. An officer used their taser on the person, who was taken into custody.
Police said Wednesday it is still undetermined what produced the sound. No gun was recovered from the scene.