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  • This is the moment a Hong Kong police officer shot

  • an antigovernment protester.

  • [gunshot]

  • It marks a major escalation:

  • The first time an officer fired a live round

  • at a demonstrator

  • since protests began almost four months ago.

  • The scene was chaotic

  • and captured on camera from various angles.

  • We analyzed the footage to paint a comprehensive picture

  • of what exactly happened.

  • Let's take a closer look: It's China's National Day.

  • Hong Kong is engulfed in protests.

  • In the Tsuen Wan neighborhood,

  • a group of 15 protesters

  • approach officers in riot gear.

  • They start chasing and attacking

  • one of the officers with umbrellas and what

  • appear to be metal rods.

  • The officer falls to the ground

  • and protesters continue to beat him.

  • We see one man swinging a hammer,

  • and another person is holding a wrench.

  • Police deploy tear gas.

  • From this angle,

  • we see an officer running up to the chaos

  • with his revolver already drawn.

  • A shot rings out.

  • [gunshot]

  • Here is the scene from another angle.

  • We see the protester who's about to get shot.

  • He's carrying a blue shield.

  • The officer shoots him just as he's

  • swinging a metal rod at him.

  • He stumbles and falls over the officer on the ground.

  • The group scatters.

  • One protester attempts to help the victim.

  • He is tackled to the ground by another officer.

  • A person dressed in black, who appears to be a protester,

  • throws a Molotov cocktail at the officers from afar

  • and then flees.

  • We see at least two officers

  • have their guns drawn.

  • Another one holds a pepper-spray can

  • threatening those nearby.

  • Only now does the officer who shot the protester

  • put his gun away.

  • Note that he also carries nonlethal weapons.

  • He's holding a shotgun, which is likely loaded

  • with rubber bullets,

  • and has pepper spray in his holster.

  • The protester who was shot remains on the ground,

  • seemingly conscious.

  • We don't see any of the officers

  • provide first aid at this point.

  • According to U.N. basic principles,

  • officers should only use firearms

  • under imminent threat of death or serious injury,

  • and they need to give a clear warning of their intent

  • to use a gun.

  • The officer in the video does not

  • appear to warn the protesters that he is going to shoot.

  • Police said that one protester had

  • tried to stab the officer on the ground

  • with a sharp object and that police had warned protesters

  • to stop.

  • They defended their officer's decision to use live fire.

  • Police said that the 18-year-old protester

  • was shot near his left shoulder

  • and was taken to the hospital.

  • The incident marks a clear escalation in police

  • response to the protests and is sure to fuel more unrest

  • among the people of Hong Kong.

This is the moment a Hong Kong police officer shot

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