WARNING: Graphic body camera footage of homeless man shot in Calexico released

CALEXICO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - A Calexico resident is speaking out after pressuring authorities to release body camera footage of a Calexico police officer who shot and killed a homeless man in June 2021.

The homeless man identified as Rojas Barajas was seen in the video with a knife tied to his wrist. When Calexico police officers arrived, they shot him after they say he didn’t comply. 

Gilberto Manzanares is a Calexico activist who helped get the video released, he says the four shots that were heard being fired at Barajas are still echoing today. 

“If we do not hold the department accountable then this is bound to happen once again, are we waiting for it to happen to a father, a mother, an elected official, why should we wait for this to affect you directly in some type of way," he said.

Manzanares says he was aggressively pushing the Imperial County Sheriff's Office to release body cam footage to show residents what actually happened.

We reached out to the Calexico Police Department for comment however it declined to speak to us and says the investigation is ongoing.