Ekom Udofia shot dead by Police following bizarre behaviour, bodycam reveals; WATCH

Former Cincinnati Bengals and New Orleans Saints star Ekom Udofia was fatally shot by Phoenix police officers on November 30. The officials have only recently released video footage of the incident that took place between the police and the ex-NFL player, who was repeatedly told to drop his pistol before the police opened fire. Reports claim that Udofia, who had a few run-ins with the law in the past, may have suffered from mental health issues. 

ALSO READ: NFL Further Limits Player Access To Team Facilities

Ekom Udofia shot dead by Phoenix Police after bizarre behaviour

According to reports from ABC15, on November 30, the Phoenix police department received calls about a man who was messing around with cars in a parking lot and acting bizarrely in the wee hours of the morning. Upon the cops' arrival at the scene, they discovered that the man was former Bengals player Ekom Udofia, who was armed with a gun in his hand. 

Body-worn camera video showed two officers arriving near Indian School Road and 23rd Avenue just after 2 am. In an attempt to prevent any fatal shootings, the officers pleaded with Udofia to dispose of his weapon. “Please drop the gun, dude! Please!” one officer screamed. 

ALSO READ: The Virus' Toll: How 32 NFL Teams Have Been Hit By COVID-19

At one point, the second officer also begins to beg Udofia to comply, but to no avail. The officer is heard saying, "Drop the gun, man, please. Don't make me shoot you." Although Udofia did not appear to say anything, he continued to walk toward the officers and their patrol car. This is when one of the officers is heard saying, "Dude, I gotta shoot him", before firing towards the ex-athlete multiple times. Udofia, though, still continued to ignore the officers' orders as he held onto his weapon. 

ALSO READ: NFL Union Sees No Current Need For Bubble To Slow COVID-19

One of the officers then attempted to subdue Udofia with non-lethal shots, pepper balls and a police dog. However, the former NFL player still managed to get up before eventually being shot a few more times. He died while being rushed to the hospital and his weapon was later identified as a non-lethal BB gun. Udofia was 33 years old at the time of his death.

Udofia was a defensive lineman, who had a short stint with the Cincinnati Bengals and New Orleans Saints after leaving Stanford in 2009. His friends described him as a 'gentle giant'. Udofia also played professional football in Canada. However, he was arrested several times for indecent exposure, assault and unlawful flight from the law. According to court records, mental health issues had contributed to his criminal activity.

ALSO READ: Former NFL Player Urschel Sells Virtue Of Math To Youngsters

Image Credits - AP