Dramatic footage of a SWAT team gunning down a former Marine near Tucson, Ariz., has been released by authorities.The video shows the uniformed team pulling up outside Jose Guerena's home - one of four believed to be associated with a drug smuggling operation - sounding their sirens and pounding on the front door before they kick it in. They open fire shortly after entering the home.
Guerena, 26, died during the May 5 incident after being shot 60 times in seven seconds. However, CNN has seen an initial report from the medical examiner that details 22 bullet wounds.The Pima County Sheriff's Department released the SWAT helmet footage Thursday in response to public records requests fueled by outrage from the victim's family.
Guerena's wife, Vanessa, told local media that the officers never identified themselves and thought the gunman might have been part of a home invasion.
The SWAT team says they followed protocol while serving the search warrant and that Guerena had an AR-15 rifle in hand. He allegedly said, "I've got something for you."Authorities initially maintained that Guerena, an Iraq War vet who was working for a mining company in Arizona, opened fire on an officer, but later backtracked and said he never did.
Officers found a Colt .38-caliber handgun and body armor in Guerena's home.
The SWAT team's lawyer Mike Storie told local television station KGUN that the footage shows the team did nothing wrong."You watch the video and clearly you hear sirens, you see them (SWAT) approach, you see them knock and announce several times.
Clearly, anyone in the area will know police were there," he said.
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