A terrifying night in Sacramento

Re “Police release Clark videos,” April 17

After several articles in the Los Angeles Times over the last month on the March 15 police shooting of Stephon Clark in Sacramento, the April 17 article finally gave me some perspective.

This newly released footage captured the moments when the officers were checking the neighborhood, spotted a suspect in a backyard, pursued and shot the man, and waited for what seemed like an interminable period (but in reality was only five minutes) while they decided whether to check and see if he might be alive and armed.

The picture and sound were on this entire period. It was dark, dark, dark that night. Few words could describe this. It was the night after a new moon and two weeks before the full moon. The officers held flashlights in one hand to marginally cut into the darkness and, I assume, held their firearms in the other hand.

Frankly, even on tape, it was terrifying sight. Clark never responded to their orders.

John McGrew Riverside