Dashcam video was released Tuesday showing a South Carolina police officer shooting a 19-year-old during a drug sting in a Hardee's parking lot, the same day state prosecutors said they would not charge the officer in the teen's death.
"Hands up! Put `em up!" Mark Tiller yells as he approaches the car. The car backs up and then starts pulling away. Tiller grabs the left front fender of the car as it moves by, at which point he fires at the driver.
The car moves out of camera view, but the audio later picks up the sounds of crying and an officer telling someone to again put their hands up.
A lawsuit from the parents of Zachary Hammond claimed that the officer threatened to blow their son's head off, and that another officer high-fived the teen's body after the July shooting in Seneca. Defense attorneys deny those accusations.
Solicitor Chrissy Adams said that after reviewing the case and applicable law, no charges will be filed against Tiller.
Hammond was killed July 26. He had just taken a woman on a first date, during which they got ice cream at McDonald's, then drove to Hardee's so Hammond could get a hamburger, according to a lawsuit filed by his family.
Seneca police said they were waiting at the Hardee's after an undercover officer arranged a drug deal with the woman, Tori Morton. As officers pulled up to Hammond's car with lights flashing, he accelerated to leave, authorities said.
The woman was not injured and later was charged with simple possession of marijuana
Tiller has said through his lawyer that he thought Hammond was threatening to run him over and fired twice to protect himself. Hammond's family said a private autopsy showed that the teen was shot in the side and the back, proving the threat had passed.
City lawyers have said the shooting was justified and that Tiller shot Hammond in self-defense when he drove his car at the officer. The family also says Hammond was shot through the driver's side window from behind, indicating there was no danger to the officer.
Greg Dietterick, the city administrator for Seneca, said in a statement that "we are thankful the investigation has come to an end and shows Lt. Tiller was acting in self-defense. It is now time to start healing Seneca," a community of about 8,200 in upstate South Carolina, a few miles west of Clemson.
Attorneys for Hammond's family wanted Adams removed from the case because she works closely with local police, but the state Supreme Court rejected the request.
Adams says she won't release additional information while federal authorities decide whether they'll bring charges against Tiller. State officials haven't released dashboard camera video or other documents in the case, and media organizations have sued the State Law Enforcement Division seeking them.
Adams said she announced her decision after meeting Tuesday with members of the Hammond family. The family attorney did not immediately return a message from The Associated Press seeking comment.
The family's lawsuit 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.
In legal papers, lawyers have acknowledged that the second officer may have said something about inappropriate contact with Hammond's body.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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