It ended in a second when one of his BDF colleagues shot him in the chest, a fatal injury. Our news team was in Santa Familia today to try to understand how this dispute over a facemask turned deadly within minutes. Daniel Ortiz has that story:

Video footage from the surveillance camera system at Branch Mouth Stop & Shop in Santa Familia captures the minutes before the BDF soldier Jessie Escobar was shot and killed by a lawman. The first thing that is immediately apparent is the high level of hostility that the armed officers displayed toward him and his companions.

A first shot is fired, and in his statement the officer responsible said that it was a warning shot. The microphone picks up the moment when the weapon was readied to discharge bullets.

Police Officer
"Move from "f-------" ya."

Man
"Noh "f-------" put no "f-------" gun pan me bwai."

There are varying accounts about what happened shortly after that. In his official account, the police officer claims that Escobar advanced on them. His narrative paints him and the 2 BDF soldiers backing him up as lawmen showing restraint against a group of aggressors. But, the video shows Escobar walking forward with a cup in his hand. Armed with only that, he's hardly any threat to the officers, but then, suddenly, he is fatally shot.

Police Officer
"I wah buss yoh lee "r---" yoh noh."

It happens in literally the blink of an eye, but you can that after he made a few steps, the police officer to the right of your screen, swings his weapon toward Escobar. It appears that he fires a bullet more in the direction of his feet. You can see the muzzle flash of his service weapon, and the smoke. The BDF soldier behind the cop appears to fire a shot from his assault rifle. It is unclear which bullet injures Escobar, but the police account is that the fatal shot was fired by the BDF soldier who was immediately backing him up. The officer doesn't appear to grasp yet that Escobar's life is already fading, and he shouts callous words to Escobar's companions.

Police Officer
"Move fah yah! Move fah f------ ya."

Police Officer
"Next baxxa! Next Baxxa!"

Police Officer
"Yoh noh wah advance into me at all."

"Get on the ground."

Police Commissioner Chester Williams addressed the media on the incident, and he presented the tidy account of this messy scene, as told by the officers involved.

Chester Williams - Commissioner of Police
"What our investigation so far is revealing is that the police officer attached to Santa Familia, along with 2 BDF who work there with him - It's like a composite patrol - were conducting patrols within the village, and they went to a store. While at the store, they saw a group of men coming, one of whom was not wearing his mask properly. He was told by the police officer to pull his mask up, which he did. And apparently, another person who was there at the store began to engage in an argument with the police and the BDF. That argument quickly escalated, and firearms were drawn by the police and the BDF. The police officer subsequently fired one warning shot, and according to them, the male person continued to advance toward the BDF soldier, and that was when the BDF fired one single shot, which caught the individual in the left [side of his] chest. The person fell to the ground and (sighs) to his death."

Perhaps one of the most disturbing elements of Jessie Escobar's fatal shooting by his colleague is the fact that his common-law wife and his daughter, who is either 2 or 3-years-old, witnessed the violence that ended his life.

One eyewitness told the press that in her opinion, Escobar was no threat to the armed lawmen.

Voice of: Eyewitness
"His daughter just started to cry to see her daddy there. And the daughter said, 'Mataron a mi Papi Chulo!' Do you know? She is just 2 years [old] to see those things. I am in shock, and I imagine this poor little girl there. I don't know, but we just want justice."

Police Officer
"Next baxxa! Next Baxxa!"

Police Officer
"Yoh noh wah advance into me at all."

Chester Williams - Commissioner of Police
"It is disturbing. Some of the comments used prior to and after the shooting are damning, and those are things that we are looking into. The file is being compiled and will be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions' Office for guidance as to how we are going to deal with the matter."

And what charge will Jessie Escobar's shooter likely face?

Reporter
"Would the family be justified in calling for a murder charge for the person who fatally shot their loved one?"

Chester Williams
"The decision as to what charge or charges are to be levied will be one that will be done by the Director of Public Prosecutions, having seen the evidence. It is not a matter of my opinion. It is a matter of what the evidence dictates."

The Commissioner DID offer his opinion on whether or not the use of lethal force was necessary.

Chester Williams
"In my humble opinion, it is not justified. I believe that the force was, to some extent, excessive, but like I said before. It is a matter for the DPP to decide. It doesn't mean that because the force used is not justified, [it] simply means that it is murder. Unjustified force could also mean manslaughter. It could also be manslaughter by negligence. So, I am just making that point clear."

Whatever the outcome of this case, Escobar's loved ones are joined by the close-knit community of Santa Familia which grieves his sudden and violent killing.

Isella Lina Manzanero - Aunt of the Deceased
"My sister said that when she went running to see her son, they pointed at her with the gun. Why? They already shot [him], and they were pointing at her. That is what hurt the most. They already killed the son. My nephew is so humble."