WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — A new video obtained by DC News Now reveals the moment a Special Officer was shot and killed inside the Anacostia Neighborhood Library in August 2022.

The video shows the moments leading up to the shooting, the shooting itself, and the aftermath up until Metropolitan Police Department officers arrive.

25-year-old Maurica Manyan was pronounced dead at a local hospital after the shooting. Retired D.C. Police Lieutenant, Jesse Porter, is currently in prison for her death.

Porter was teaching a baton training at the library when he pulled out his gun and shot Manyan. The 58-year-old pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter in June 2023 and was sentenced to three years in prison in August.

The U.S. Attorney wouldn’t allow the video to be released until the criminal case was over.

It shows the group of trainees appearing to joke around before taking a picture. In the video, Porter is seen walking away before he turns around, unholsters his gun and shoots Manyan.

“I see someone that should not have had a weapon on him in the first place in the building. I see someone that shouldn’t have pointed or pressed the trigger in the first place,” said Latoya Francis-Williams, Manyan family attorney.

At first, Porter appears to laugh in the video until it looks like he realizes he actually shot her. Almost two minutes later, he started CPR.

“Mr. Porter accepted responsibility for having acted negligently,” said Attorney Brian McDaniel. “He accepted responsibility for the harm that he’s caused to Ms. Manyan and his family.”

McDaniel said the video proves their case that the shooting was an accident.

“He puts his hands on his head, which is the universal sign of, ‘Oh, my God, I can’t believe that this has happened.'”

Though the criminal case is over, the Manyan family plans to sue the city in a civil case.

“We believe the responsibility is with the District of Columbia that continued a pattern and practice of allowing this dangerous situation known that there had been complaints for this not to happen in the first instance,” Francis-Williams said.

Retired FBI Agent Jennifer Coffindaffer said the video is shocking.

“He should have known the number one thing you do when you’re training – and I don’t care what kind of training it is – you have to secure your live firearms in another location or in a bag,” Coffindaffer said.

Coffindaffer said the District should relook at its policies, adding the Manyan family will likely win in civil court.

“They’re going to walk into that civil court with a conviction for manslaughter in their hands. This is a no-brainer, easy case,” Coffindaffer said.

Coffindaffer said the question is how much D.C. will have to pay the family.

“Hopefully they’ll be able to show not only based on her earnings, but really the pain and suffering of the victims she left behind, meaning her family that has now been fully victimized, parents, siblings, if she had children, what that means to them emotionally and mentally,” Coffindaffer said.

Francis-Williams said the District has been put on notice for the civil case and they’re awaiting a response.

Manyan family attorney Chelsea Lewis previously released this statement:

 “Watching Officer Maurica fight for her life on the floor of the Anacostia Neighborhood Library with her killer towering over her in her final moments was nothing short of heartbreaking. The District of Columbia bears a heavy responsibility for allowing such a tragedy to occur in a public library against one of their own public servants. We are calling for an investigation into the multiple suspected policy violations we observed on the surveillance footage which included allowing Porter to enter the library with a loaded gun and permitting him to remain, just feet from where Officer Manyan was gunned down – uncuffed and armed with the weapon that killed her, surrounded by his former MPD colleagues. Our community deserves better protection and oversight from its governing bodies. The Manyan Family is committed to making sure the public is granted access to the surveillance footage because the events that led to the death of Officer Manyan are a matter of grave public concern.” 

-Chelsea Lewis of Lewis Law Esq.