CALCUTTA — Extended footage from body cameras of law enforcement first on the scene of last month’s shooting — that left one of the officers critically wounded and a four-year-old bystander and mentally ill man dead — answered questions that earlier released recording did not, including the gun used by the suspect.

The extended version of video recorded by St. Clair Detective Chase Askounes and East Liverpool Patrolman Tony Savina, show the moment officers, who are shown performing life saving measures on Joseph Como, locate Como’s weapon, described as “a 38 special” and later as a “Derringer 38 special.” The palm-sized gun is covered in snow on the footage about 16 minutes after the shooting. Derringers are snub-nosed revolvers with a short barrel and small frame, making them easy to conceal.

Como shot St. Clair Township Dakota Wetzel during an incident on Jan. 22. Officers confronted Como, who was reportedly suicidal, just after 2 p.m. in front of Huntington Bank and Dentistry for Children Teens. When Como refused to stop, then approached Wetzel with an object in his hand, ignoring in order “to show me your hand,” Wetzel began firing, striking Como. As he fell, Como was able to lift his hand and fire off a shot striking Wetzel in the head. Wetzel was airlifted to a Pittsburgh Hospital and continues to recover.

Across the street, the child — Rosalie Martin – was also struck in the head when a stray bullet came through the window. She later succumbed to her injuries.

Both the initial footage and the extended footage, released by St. Clair Township Police Chief in efforts “to be transparent with the community” conflict with early reports that Como “immediately opened fire on the officers who then returned fire.” The footage also seeminlgy shows the initial shots by law enforcement were shot in the direction of the dentist office.

McKenzie called the shooting ” a tragedy on many levels.”

“No police officers want to be forced to use deadly force,” he added. “However, officers faced with suspects ready to use deadly force must make split-second decisions to protect their own lives.”

The footage shows how quickly that tragedy unfolded. It also shows the heavy emotional impact it had on the officers involved in the minutes following the gun shots and the feverish efforts at the scene to administer first aid to Wetzel as well as Como, who had a long history of mental illness, run-ins with the St. Clair Police and violence.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol (OHSP) is handling the investigation. During a press briefing following the shooting, McKenzie said he had contacted the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and requested BCI do an independent investigation. BCI was on the scene by late afternoon on the day of shooting. However, the case was soon taken over by the OHSP. The OHSP confirmed it was now leading the investigation but would not confirm the reason why.

Steve Irwin, press secretary for Attorney General Dave Yost, whose office is in charge of the BCI, provided a brief explanation.

“BCI was requested by St. Clair Township PD regarding an officer-involved shooting,” Irwin said in an email. “As the investigation developed, a potentially perceived conflict arose, so out of an abundance of caution, BCI returned the case to the St. Clair Township PD. The case was subsequently referred to the OSHP.”

selverd@mojonews.com