Videos released of deadly shooting by Fremont police

FREMONT, Calif. - Fremont police released video footage Thursday showing the deadly shooting of a suspect by an officer last month.

Kevin Victor Johnston, 22, was shot and killed by Officer Jesse Hartman on Aug. 25 after the suspect pointed a ghost gun at the officer, said Acting Chief Sean Washington.

"We believe that he actually shot a round at the officer," Washington said.

The confrontation happened about 40 minutes after Johnston had shot a man the head at the Southlake Mobile Home Park, police said. That victim, whose name was not released, was still fighting for his life. 

Police played a 911 call from a woman crying hysterically to report that her friend at the mobile home park had been shot.

"Our officers answered the call and responded to guard our community against an extremely dangerous individual causing harm," Washington said.

Officers found surveillance footage showing the suspect and learned that he stole the victim's car before abandoning it. 

The department also showed dash-cam and body-camera footage showing the officer locating Johnston and confronting him near Auto Mall Parkway and Southlake Common.

The suspect was limping, shirtless and carrying a small stroller, the chief said.

When he saw the officer, Johnston reached into the stroller, grabbed what turned out to be a "ghost gun" and pointed it at the officer while "motioning as if he was pulling the trigger," Washington said.

The officer fired numerous shots, hitting and killing the suspect.

The shooting is under investigation by Fremont police and the Alameda County DA's office. 

But Washington said, "I'm confident that the officers acted in accordance with the law and our policies, so yeah, I think this is pretty clear-cut that this was a justifiable shooting."

This is the fourth shooting by Fremont police this year. Three of them have been deadly. Hartman, the officer who shot and killed Johnston, has since returned to duty, the chief said.

An attorney representing Johnston's family had no comment Thursday.