Dashcam Footage Shows South Carolina Police Officer Fatally Shooting 19-Year-Old

Ten-year law enforcement veteran Lt. Mark Tiller fatally shot Hammond outside a Hardee's in Seneca, South Carolina, on July 26.

On Tuesday, the state of South Carolina released dashcam footage of a Seneca police officer firing at and killing Zachary Hammond. "I met with the Hammond family today and have informed them of this decision".

The vehicle then moves out of view of the camera, but the audio picks up the sounds of crying, and an officer telling someone to again put their hands up.

Tiller is then heard yelling "hands up, put them up, stop, stop, stop" as Hammond tries to back out of the parking space and drive off.

Mr Hammond's family is hoping federal authorities who are conducting an independent investigation will bring charges in the case.

Morton and Zachary Hammond go out for ice cream, they meet up with the man on the text line.

Tiller has said through his lawyer that he thought Hammond was threatening to run him over and fired twice to protect himself. Hammond backs up, and attempts to flee.

"The evidence from this investigation corroborates and supports Lt. Tiller's belief that he was going to be run over".

As the auto accelerates forward, Tiller is seen pushing off the vehicle, and shooting Hammond through the driver's-side window at near point-blank range.

Due to a request by the United States Attorney Bill Nettle, Adams will not be releasing "any additional information while the federal authorities are making their charging determination".

The Hammonds have filed a lawsuit against the Seneca Police Department and Tiller. As other Seneca Police Department officers arrived, they either consoled Lt. Tiller or celebrated with him.

Adams disclosed in her letter that an attempted drug deal that led to Hammond's death took place only because Hammond's female passenger, Tori Morton, accidentally sent a text message from Hammond's phone to a state trooper whose number was one digit different from her intended buyer's.

"If you look at the (police dash cam) video, it's clear that he didn't follow any proper police procedure", Bland said, referring to Tiller. "The text messages indicate Hammond was actively evading arrest by flight and evading law enforcement due to his outstanding warrant".

He called the night a "tragic event" for the community, saying that he grieved for the Hammond family and added thanks for "the hard work of the local and state investigators who handled the cases expertly and professionally".

According to toxicology reports, Hammond had consumed cocaine and marijuana within hours of his death.

Greg Dietterick, the administrator for Seneca, said in a statement, "We are thankful the investigation has come to an end and shows Lt. Tiller was acting in self-defense". The lawsuit by Hammond's family says that after paramedics determined Hammond was dead, his body was left for 90 minutes on the ground, where it was bitten and stung by ants.

"We respectfully disagree [with Adams' decision]" Ronald Richter Jr., attorney for the Hammond family, said Tuesday, according to the Associated Press.

Another officer gave the teen's lifeless body a high-five, the lawsuit alleges.