LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville Metro Police on Friday released the body camera footage of two officers firing their guns during a fatal police shooting in the city's Portland neighborhood last week.

Video shows the suspect, 30-year-old Kenneth Clark, shooting a male hostage in the head, killing him. Police then fired shots at Clark. Police said the victim was 23-year-old John Robinson Jr.

Clark was shot in the arm, but also suffered a gunshot wound to the head. Police said it's unknown if it was self-inflicted or from officers' gunfire. Clark remains in critical condition and faces charges including murder if he survives, according to police.

LMPD said the two officers who fired their weapons were Shaine Edmondson and Jeffrey Goldman. Neither officer has any commendations or disciplinary history, according to the department.

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Body camera footage from an officer-involved shooting on Dec. 14, 2023 in the 400 block of North 25th Street where one person died and another is in critical condition. (LMPD body cam footage)

The shooting stemmed from a domestic violence call on Thursday, Dec. 14 at a home in the 400 block of North 25th Street around 8:45 p.m.

LMPD Deputy Chief Paul Humphrey said officers received a 911 call from a woman stating her brother had guns and was pointing them at multiple people inside the home, where a child was also present.

Police said Clark had just gotten out of jail in October, and people in the house stated he might've been on drugs.

The caller said the guns were in his pocket and there were two men, one female and the suspect, in the room. She said Clark felt like Robinson at the time had set him up.

She said Clark was pointing guns at them and not allowing them to leave. When police arrived on scene, three people were still in the room with Clark.

Video footage shows one of the hostages get out of the room and tell police that Clark said if he saw officers, he was going to "take everyone with him" and "he's willing to die."

"Those are pretty good indicators this is about to end and something needs to happen quickly to save that hostage's life," Humphrey said.

Footage shows officers at the bottom of the stairs when Clark yelled he would "sacrifice" people in the room and would kill the hostages before police could get there.

Officers breached the closed bedroom door to save the hostages, but as soon as they kick the door open, Clark was behind the door and shot the man, who he had a gun pointed to, in the head.

Edmonson shot Clark in the arm, but the body of Robinson got caught in the crossfire and a round from the police also hit the victim.

According to police, Clark suffered a gunshot wound to the head and is in grave condition, but it's unknown whether the wound was self-inflicted or came from police. Police said they pulled two guns from Clark at the end of the incident.

The suspect's sister was able to leave the room after the shooting and wasn't injured.

John Robinson Jr.jpg

John Robinson Jr., who was killed in a hostage situation in the Portland neighborhood on Dec. 14. (Submitted photo)

“In all of these situations, there’s one person who has ultimate control of these situations, and that’s the suspect,” Humphrey said. “I will tell you in my experience, this was an unwinnable situation for those officers.”

The relationship between two of the hostages and Clark is unknown at this time.

"It's a sad day when you lose a hostage," Humphrey said.

Per LMPD's new protocol, body-worn camera footage of police shootings is released within 10 business days of the incident. 

The full body camera footage from LMPD has not yet been uploaded to the department's YouTube page.

LMPD posted the body camera video to its YouTube page. A warning here that it contains graphic language and images. If you'd like to see it, click here. It is at the end of the police department's Friday press conference where it released the footage.

This story may be updated.

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