Lieutenant Colonel Jerry Lure with the St. Louis County Police Department said, "While fighting for control of Mr. Lanis' handgun, officers continued giving commands to him to drop the weapon." One of the officers attempted to de-escalate then encounter and pulled out his taser, but it was ineffective as Lanis continued to resist officers.
One of the officers shouted, "No! No! Drop the gun! Drop the gun."
Tim Fitch, a former St. Louis County Police Chief, councilman, and current police consultant, said, "I'm glad they had their body cameras rolling. I think it shows the public a good insight as to what officers face almost every day."
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the Smith family, the in-laws of Lanis, said in a statement:
"Our family was able to view the body camera footage of the tragic events that unfolded that day. We were deeply saddened by the choices Aleksander made in his final moments, and we are grateful to the officers who gave him every opportunity to choose a different outcome. We have learned this is often how untreated mental illness ends, and we encourage anyone struggling to listen to their loved ones and seek the help they need.