Officials seek release of body cam footage in SFA raid

NACOGDOCHES — Stephen F. Austin State University encouraged the victim of a false police report to grant the university permission to release the police body cam footage, during a press conference on October 3. That’s according to our news partner KETK. University police entered 17-year-old Christin Evans’s dorm room at 3 a.m. on September 14 after she was falsely accused by her roommates of trying to stab someone with a pair of scissors. Erika Harris, the communications liaison for the university, said the investigation of the false report was handed over to the Nacogdoches County District Attorney’s office on October 2. She also mentioned the case includes possible multiple criminal charges against several students.

Harris said the police body cam footage does not show that the police stormed into Evans’s room. She added that the university wants to be transparent about the events that took place, but SFA needs Evans’s permission to release footage from that night.“By releasing the bodycam video it will correct misinformation, bring clarity, and squash the rumors of aggressive police behavior,” said Harris. “We call on the Evans family to work with us and agree to releasing the body cam video to shine the light on the truth.”

SFA says it hopes to conclude its disciplinary investigation by the end of next week and decide what action it will take against the students involved. Harris also mentioned that SFA understands this was a traumatic experience for Evans.