The man at the center of gripping police body camera video says he is remorseful and lucky to be alive. Tony Timberlake had just retrieved a gun from his car during a volatile scene on Hawaiian Terrace last month. There were several children and police officers in the immediate area.Officer Deon Mack, one of several Cincinnati police officers on scene, spotted the gun in his hand and drew his weapon. "Hey! Put that s*** down. F*** wrong with you!? Put that s*** down." Mack yelled.It stunned Timberlake and he put the gun down. Cincinnati police leadership said many less experienced officers would have fired their weapon."It's just like a flashback came back like wow," Timberlake said, explaining how he felt when he saw the video for the first time. "I was not tryna hurt nobody. I was just trying to protect my family, you know? And I wasn't gonna shoot nobody. Just put it in my holster, come back and sit down."Police were responding to a juvenile throwing a brick through the home where Timberlake, his fiance and several children live."In response to that, his juvenile ran outside and grabbed one of the kids and assaulted him. Then those children went and got their families and their friends of families," Mack explained, estimating that the scene quickly grew to several dozen people. "You almost forced me and many others to take your life," Mack is heard saying to Timberlake on his body camera video. "And that would have been so unfair, not only to you, not only to your family but to us.""I lost my head. I'm sorry," Timberlake responded.He told WLWT he had no intention of shooting anyone but wanted the gun on his for protection. It was not loaded. Mack said within a few seconds, he saw that there was no magazine in the gun but did not know if there was a bullet in the chamber. Mack said he was aware that several people at the scene threatened Timberlake and his family, saying they would come back to their apartment once police left.That encouraged Mack to push for Timberlake to be released and not arrested. Timberlake does not have a criminal history, and he said his gun is legally registered. He does not have a CCW permit."The only real reason you are being cut a break is because I really have compassion for your family, and I have compassion for your family because when we leave here, they need somebody to help protect them," Mack said."I was just so grateful and thanked God that he did not or they did not, all of them, did not shoot him," said Sabrina Clark, Timberlake's fiance. "That would have killed me literally, 'cause he was here tryna be for our family, tryna protect us."Clark watched the entire encounter."I've done seen so much that cops been going through and at the blink of an eye, when a man pulls out a gun, they don't know what that man is gonna do," she said. Mack said after the scene quieted down, she thanked him for sparing Timberlake's life.Timberlake was charged with disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor. He said he appreciates Mack and was glad he was responded that day."He's a good person and he was doing his job. He made sure nothing happened," he said. "He's a good cop. If it wasn't for him, there's no telling what would happen."
The man at the center of gripping police body camera video says he is remorseful and lucky to be alive.
Tony Timberlake had just retrieved a gun from his car during a volatile scene on Hawaiian Terrace last month. There were several children and police officers in the immediate area.
Officer Deon Mack, one of several Cincinnati police officers on scene, spotted the gun in his hand and drew his weapon.
"Hey! Put that s*** down. F*** wrong with you!? Put that s*** down." Mack yelled.
It stunned Timberlake and he put the gun down. Cincinnati police leadership said many less experienced officers would have fired their weapon.
"It's just like a flashback came back like wow," Timberlake said, explaining how he felt when he saw the video for the first time. "I was not tryna hurt nobody. I was just trying to protect my family, you know? And I wasn't gonna shoot nobody. Just put it in my holster, come back and sit down."
Police were responding to a juvenile throwing a brick through the home where Timberlake, his fiance and several children live.
"In response to that, his juvenile ran outside and grabbed one of the kids and assaulted him. Then those children went and got their families and their friends of families," Mack explained, estimating that the scene quickly grew to several dozen people.
"You almost forced me and many others to take your life," Mack is heard saying to Timberlake on his body camera video. "And that would have been so unfair, not only to you, not only to your family but to us."
"I lost my head. I'm sorry," Timberlake responded.
He told WLWT he had no intention of shooting anyone but wanted the gun on his for protection. It was not loaded. Mack said within a few seconds, he saw that there was no magazine in the gun but did not know if there was a bullet in the chamber.
Mack said he was aware that several people at the scene threatened Timberlake and his family, saying they would come back to their apartment once police left.
That encouraged Mack to push for Timberlake to be released and not arrested.
Timberlake does not have a criminal history, and he said his gun is legally registered. He does not have a CCW permit.
"The only real reason you are being cut a break is because I really have compassion for your family, and I have compassion for your family because when we leave here, they need somebody to help protect them," Mack said.
"I was just so grateful and thanked God that he did not or they did not, all of them, did not shoot him," said Sabrina Clark, Timberlake's fiance. "That would have killed me literally, 'cause he was here tryna be for our family, tryna protect us."
Clark watched the entire encounter.
"I've done seen so much that cops been going through and at the blink of an eye, when a man pulls out a gun, they don't know what that man is gonna do," she said.
Mack said after the scene quieted down, she thanked him for sparing Timberlake's life.
Timberlake was charged with disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor. He said he appreciates Mack and was glad he was responded that day.
"He's a good person and he was doing his job. He made sure nothing happened," he said. "He's a good cop. If it wasn't for him, there's no telling what would happen."
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