Durham mayor working to make body cam footage available after police officers draw guns on children

Durham's mayor is promising a thorough investigation after police officers were accused of drawing their guns on kids playing tag at an apartment complex.

Mayor Steve Schewel said he is doing what he can to make the body-worn camera footage of the Aug. 21 incident available to the public. Under state law, such footage can be released only by petitioning the court.

Schewel said he and the Durham City Council are working through that process.

"I have talked to, and council members have talked to, our city attorney and asked her to request the body camera footage be released to us, and that we be able to release it to the public," said Schewel.

Three boys, ages 15, 11 and 8, said they were playing tag outside the Rochelle Manor Apartments complex when officers drew guns on them and put the oldest in handcuffs.

Durham Police Chief Cerelyn Davis said officers were responding to a call about a suspicious person with a gun.

Since the story aired on WRAL News, Schewel said he has heard from a number of constituents.

"I've received a lot of emails with very deep concern, and a lot of them, all of them, saying this needs to be investigated, people need to be held accountable," he explained.

Both Davis and Schewel have promised a thorough investigation.

“All of that needs a full investigation, which is exactly what happens, and we will do that. We will have a full investigation, and there will be the neccessary accountability," said Schewel. "I have a tremendous amount of trust in Chief Davis and her wisdom and her judgment on things like this. I'll be certainly looking for her guidance and will be forming my own opinions as well."

Schewel said the release of that body camera video could take a week to two weeks.