New video shows woman running over son's foster mom during child custody dispute in LA
Body camera video shows what happened before Los Angeles, California officer opened fire on woman
LOS ANGELES -- Body camera video shows what happened before a Los Angeles police officer opened fire on a woman who they say intentionally struck her child's foster mother with a car during a child custody dispute in Los Angeles.
The incident happened on Oct. 1 in a Target parking lot. Police say 39-year-old Miesha Scott was there to meet the child's foster parents for a peaceful transfer of custody.
However, things took a dramatic turn, forcing the foster father to call 911.
"I have a mom who's taking a child that I have custody of and I need help because she's getting ready to get into a car and drive off," he said during the call.
"She's starting up the vehicle right now. She has [the child] in the car with no car seat. Please."
"She's the mother of the child?" the dispatcher asks.
"Yes."
Moments later, responding officers were able to intervene in the custody dispute and talk to Scott.
"Because I'm upset that's why," she told officers. "So you keep telling me to calm down ... that's why I said, 'Can you call somebody that can negotiate all of our situation so we all be fair, so no one cause no more commotion."
"I'm trying to do that," an officers responds.
"This is a hazard," Scott says.
After a lengthy discussion, police took the 5-year-old boy and turned him over to the foster parents. Scott then got in her truck, a white U-Haul pickup, appearing to drive away. But moments later, she turned around and hit the gas. She began driving straight toward the child's foster mother and nearby officers.
In the bodycam video, you can hear an officer trying to get her to stop as tires screech in the background. A Target security camera also captured the sudden explosion of rage.
You can see Scott speeding through the parking lot, striking the foster mom and nearly hitting officers nearby.
"Partner, where are you?" an officer is heard saying as he runs. "Get in the car! Get in the car!"
As Scott continued to drive away, she encountered another officer who opened fire. A brief chase ensued, but the woman eventually hit a tree and was taken into custody.
Police say she was not hit by gunfire, but she sustained minor injuries due to the crash.
Scott has since been arrested and charged with two counts of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer, and felony evading.
The foster mother who was run down was not seriously injured. She was treated at the scene and released shortly after.
No officers were injured.
Scott's vehicle was impounded as evidence.
The complete investigation will be reviewed by the chief of police, the Board of Police Commissioners, and the Office of the Inspector General. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, who also responded to the scene, will review the case to determine if the force used by the officer was reasonable.
