AG Schimel: Two Body Camera Videos Exist of Sylville Smith Shooting

Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel revealed Monday that not just one - but two police body camera recorded the confrontation between authorities and Sylville Smith.

The second video comes from a fellow officer who was on the scene, Schimel said.

But state officials say there are no plans to release either video before completing their investigation.

Schimel said since the shooting on August 13 investigators have interviewed witnesses, family members, and the police officers about what happened.

But a question has been constant for Schimel for the past week. 

"The most common request has predictably been for the release of the videos from the body cameras. We will not be releasing those at this time. First, the body camera videos is just one piece of many sources of information," Schimel said.

Schimel says his concern is if the video is released it could compromise witness accounts.

"I cannot have witness statement being colored or painted by information they're seeing from other sources," Schimel said.

But other groups say the release of the videos would go a long way in the community.

"Without compromising the information, without compromising the officers rights, ACLU believes that can be done sooner rather than later. And rather than have speculation and rumors and social media and all the rest drive the story - let's drive the story on objective information," Chris Amuty, executive director of the ACLU of Wisconsin, said.

Schimel said he will leave the decision to release the video up to the Milwaukee County District Attorney's office once the investigation is completed.

"When the time comes to release the video, Mr. Smith's family will be the first who we share it with," Schimel said.

Schimel also said that the police officers involved have not had a chance to look at the video. However, they did request to see it but that has not yet happened.