Bodycam video shows St. Louis police officer shooting teen in back of head
Body camera video shows a St. Louis police officer shoot Emeshyon Wilkins in the back of the head as he fled, contradicting an earlier police statement.
Updated on: April 14, 2026 / 11:18 AM EDT / CBS/AP
"We recognize that the use of deadly force is difficult for everyone involved and for the community," said St. Louis Police Department spokesperson Mitch McCoy in a statement acknowledging the new video. "We are committed to being as transparent as possible, even in dynamic and rapidly evolving situations."
Al Watkins, an attorney for the family of Emeshyon Wilkins, obtained the video as part of the discovery process in a federal lawsuit against the police department. Watkins said his office tried and failed to get the video through a records request.
"They fought that video issue for over a year," Watkins told The Associated Press. "We had to file a federal lawsuit to get it. That's not transparent. That's not integrity. Indeed, it's irresponsible."
In a statement, Watkins said residents of St. Louis and broader Missouri, as well as Wilkins' family members, "deserve better than this."