El Cajon police on Tuesday released video of a man with a baseball bat attacking a police officer outside a Walmart last week.
The short video from the officer’s body worn camera shows the officer approach the disheveled man leaving the store.
The 26-year-old man suddenly rushes toward the officer, raises the aluminum bat and takes a hard swing. In a press release issued last week, police said the officer deflected the swing from hitting his head, but was struck on his upper arm.
The video image blurs as two men struggle in close quarters, but the officer quickly gets the assailant down and radios for assistance.
The man threatens him a few times, once saying “I want to kill you, bro.”
The video shows about 45 seconds of the encounter, which happened about 3:45 p.m. Friday at the Walmart in Parkway Plaza on Fletcher Parkway.
Store security had called police to report the man trying to steal sporting goods and threatening employees while holding the bat.
According to police, records indicate the man has a history of violent attacks dating to 2014, including two attacks on police officers.
They said the man spent some of the last three years either in custody or in drug or mental health treatment programs.
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