DAYTON -- The best friend of a man shot and killed by police officers exclusively tells ABC 22/FOX 45 News his friend wanted to die.
It was just Monday afternoon that Dayton Police Chief Richard Biehl released dash cam video of his officers shooting and killing 33-year-old Daniel Holt because officers say Holt was threatening them with a rifle. Biehl said the shooting was justified and so does Holt's best friend.
"He couldn't take it anymore. It was just his way of ending it. He's not the type to do it on his own," said Scott Zimmerman, Holt's best friend.
Zimmerman says Holt was having a bad week because he recently broke up with his girlfriend and was diagnosed with brain cancer.
"I think he just reached his breaking point," said Zimmerman.
Dayton police say Sunday evening they got numerous 911 calls from people saying Holt was walking near Island Park with a rifle that had an attached bayonet. At times, the callers said he was even pointing it at cars driving by.
Newly released dash cam video shows from a cruiser speeding to the scene. Both sergeants involved in the shooting arrive at almost the same time. The video shows one officer running up to Holt. Five seconds later, both sergeants fired multiple shots at Holt, striking him.
Police say they told Holt to put down the gun, but instead Holt pointed it at one of the officers and started walking toward him. Holt's gun was not loaded. He's previously had several run-ins with the law, each time threatening suicide. In fact, police found a note on Holt's body reading "Please forgive me God."
"If he really wanted to hurt someone he would have. But that's not the way he was," said Zimmerman.
Zimmerman says he's seen the gun before, but he doesn't know how Holt got his hands on it. Police are also still trying to figure that out.
"It should raise concern for everyone that someone with that history of suicidal episodes would be able to acquire this type of firearm," Chief Biehl said.
ABC 22/FOX 45 is looking into how Holt got the rifle, and who it was registered to, if anyone. The officers involved in the shooting are on paid administrative leave as the department conducts an internal investigation. All that is standard procedure when police are involved in a shooting.
It was just Monday afternoon that Dayton Police Chief Richard Biehl released dash cam video of his officers shooting and killing 33-year-old Daniel Holt because officers say Holt was threatening them with a rifle. Biehl said the shooting was justified and so does Holt's best friend.
"He couldn't take it anymore. It was just his way of ending it. He's not the type to do it on his own," said Scott Zimmerman, Holt's best friend.
Zimmerman says Holt was having a bad week because he recently broke up with his girlfriend and was diagnosed with brain cancer.
"I think he just reached his breaking point," said Zimmerman.
Dayton police say Sunday evening they got numerous 911 calls from people saying Holt was walking near Island Park with a rifle that had an attached bayonet. At times, the callers said he was even pointing it at cars driving by.
Newly released dash cam video shows from a cruiser speeding to the scene. Both sergeants involved in the shooting arrive at almost the same time. The video shows one officer running up to Holt. Five seconds later, both sergeants fired multiple shots at Holt, striking him.
Police say they told Holt to put down the gun, but instead Holt pointed it at one of the officers and started walking toward him. Holt's gun was not loaded. He's previously had several run-ins with the law, each time threatening suicide. In fact, police found a note on Holt's body reading "Please forgive me God."
"If he really wanted to hurt someone he would have. But that's not the way he was," said Zimmerman.
Zimmerman says he's seen the gun before, but he doesn't know how Holt got his hands on it. Police are also still trying to figure that out.
"It should raise concern for everyone that someone with that history of suicidal episodes would be able to acquire this type of firearm," Chief Biehl said.
ABC 22/FOX 45 is looking into how Holt got the rifle, and who it was registered to, if anyone. The officers involved in the shooting are on paid administrative leave as the department conducts an internal investigation. All that is standard procedure when police are involved in a shooting.