Fort Worth police release body cam video of hostage situation in which suspect was fatally shot

FORT WORTH, Texas - The Fort Worth Police Department has released body camera footage of a recent hostage situation in which the suspect, who reportedly used a child as a human shield, was fatally shot by a SWAT officer.

The video was released on Wednesday “to provide perspective and transparency,” the police department said in a release. The video was edited down for time, and one portion is audio only because it shows inside the apartment and children.

This incident happened on July 18 just before noon after a woman called 911 and whispered that there was a person inside the apartment with a gun. She said there were at least three other people inside: a 12-year-old girl, 15-year-old boy and a 19-year-old woman.

Police later found that the suspect, identified as Markevvion Devonte Cannon, was at the apartment to visit his ex-girlfriend and infant child they share together.

Cannon had an active warrant for assaulting his ex-girlfriend in May, along with an emergency protective order request to prevent Cannon from contacting her.

The body camera video shows police respond to the third-floor apartment, and meet with a person who appeared to come out of the apartment. She gave the officers the suspect's name and some details on what was happening. She told them he was armed with a gun.

Officers knocked on the door and identified themselves before getting a view inside the apartment. In the portion that is audio only, officers said they saw Cannon was armed with a gun.

Officers then retrieved shields and body armor. A shot was fired from inside the apartment just moments later, and it hit one of the shields that the officer had against the door.

Two more shots were then fired through the door, and police continued trying to get Cannon to come out. A fourth shot was then fired.

The video footage then switches to an officer in the parking lot as police quickly got everyone to evacuate the area.

Cannon fired shots at a police vehicle out of the apartment’s window, and one of the shots hit the police vehicle’s window. An officer had to take cover behind the police vehicle before getting into an armored vehicle. That is where the body camera video released by Fort Worth PD ends. A graphic shows that Cannon shot at least seven shots out of the window.

SWAT officers then entered the apartment and found Cannon in the bedroom closet with the hostages sitting on the floor. Police said the suspect was holding a gun close to the children and raised his weapon after not following commands to surrender. One Fort Worth SWAT officer, a nine-year veteran, fired one shot, hitting Cannon.

After moving the hostages, officers began giving Cannon medical assistance. He was taken to JPS Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arriving.

No officers or hostages were injured during this incident.

The officer who fired the shot was placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard protocol.