Body worn camera records Melvindale police officer pleading for life before being killed

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Monday in court was the first time the family of Mohamed Said saw the bodycam video of the day he was shot to death.

The family of Said emotionally broke down listening to the last words of the Melvindale police corporal killed in the line of duty, in July.

Said was responding to a suspicious person’s call when he was confronted by 44-year-old Michael Lopez, who ran from him.

His body-worn camera was played in court - and the media was asked not to show video.  

"Stop running, stop, help help, I’ll leave it," Said can be heard saying.

Then, one single gunshot – to the head, killing Said who pleaded for his life.

"He was telling him to not shoot him, 'I'll let you go, I'll let you go, don't shoot,'" said Ahmed Said, the victim's brother.

In court – just feet from Said’s family, his brother Ahmed sat behind, Lopez who is facing murder, weapons and drug charges.  

The interrogating detective, says that Lopez admitted to the murder.

"He admitted, later on, that he had that he had fled from him," said Det. Sgt. Brittany Ellsworth, Michigan State Police. "The officer tazed him he shot him, he intentionally meant to shoot him, because he did not want to go back to jail. Then he fled from the scene."

Lopez will now stand trial – after the case was bound over to circuit court Monday afternoon.

"It's like he was chill," said Ahmed. "He was laughing with a guy who was next to him. It's like he never did anything, which he deserves the death penalty - so he feels the same pain."

Ahmed’s brother's murder is part of a tragic trio of officer deaths this summer - along with Hillsdale County Sheriff's Deputy WIlliam Butler on June 27 and Oakland County Sheriff's Deputy Bradley Reckling on June 22.

"We lost three heroes in a month two sheriff officers back-to-back in the same week, and then my brother on July 21," Ahmed said.

Related: Officer Mohamed Said's 7-year-old brother escorted by police on first day of school

Ahmed, who wore his brother's hoodie and hat Monday, is demanding harsher penalties for cop killers.

"Like okay, if I kill an officer, I'm just going to go to jail (with) free rent, free food," he said. "People are used to jail, but (if) you do the death penalty, then everybody's going to be scared."

Every night before bed – he listens to his brother’s last words from the radio calls, hoping he wakes up from what he calls a never-ending nightmare.

"My brother was the heart of the family," he said. "He got killed and we lost the heart. Right now we're living without a heart."

Murder suspect Michael Lopez, right. Inset: Mohamed Said