The body camera footage that was made public by the police in Alliance this past Friday adds new light to the last few minutes that preceded the police shooting of 67-year-old Joseph J. D’Errico Jr. on a residential road this week. The footage, which was shared far and wide after being described briefly on the social media account @Thefactsdude, has some vital elements unclear to the viewers.
In the viral post made on X by @Thefactsdude, there is a brief description of the events that led to the death of D’Errico as reported by various media. They include a commotion at a car dealership, a red truck, defied orders, a taser, and finally the firing of gunshots.
Around 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 15, employees at Wally Armour Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram on West State Street in Alliance called 911. They reported a man who appeared intoxicated, argued with a female employee, and displayed or pointed a handgun before leaving in a red truck. Police obtained descriptions and located the vehicle a short time later in the 1200 block of Johnson Avenue.
Officers ordered D’Errico to turn off the truck and place his hands on the roof. Body-camera footage released Sept. 18 shows Lt. Chris McCord repeating the roof command at least three times. D’Errico did not comply. The driver’s door opened. A Taser was deployed. Within seconds, patrolmen J’Mon Wells and Ronald Hook opened fire. Wells later moved to the passenger side and fired additional rounds into the vehicle. McCord can be heard telling the others to “stop and take a breath.”
Alliance police placed large black rectangles over D’Errico’s position in the released video. More than a dozen shots were fired by at least two officers. D’Errico was pronounced dead at the scene. No officers were injured. A firearm was recovered.
Confirmed across multiple Ohio news outlets and the released body-camera video: the dealership disturbance call, the location of the red truck on Johnson Avenue, the repeated commands, the Taser deployment, the volume of gunfire, D’Errico’s death at the scene, and the placement of three officers on administrative leave.
Police allege and report that D’Errico raised or pointed a firearm toward officers after the door opened and that he may have fired one shot. Chief Akenra X has said verbal commands and the Taser did not produce compliance and that “he reached for a gun.” Those statements remain under review.
The precise sequence of movements in the final seconds, whether D’Errico discharged his weapon, and any determination about the officers’ use of force. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is conducting an independent investigation. Lt. Chris McCord, Patrolman J’Mon Wells and Patrolman Ronald Hook remain on administrative leave, which officials describe as standard procedure.
D’Errico’s sister, Rose Pagano, has said the family is “heartbroken” and seeking answers. Local reporting has described him as a retired diesel mechanic who lived in Alliance.
The body-camera release answers some questions about timing and commands while leaving others for the BCI. Future findings on ballistics, toxicology, and the exact threat assessment in those critical moments will shape the next chapter of the case.
