ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- A bystander who was shot the same September night that a Rochester police officer was shot and killed testified Wednesday in the Thomas Johnson III murder trial.
Daryl Pierson died at the hospital the night of Sept. 3, 2014 after he was shot on Hudson Avenue. He was the first Rochester officer to be shot and killed in the line of duty since 1959.
Jamal Boller, who lives near the intersection of Hudson and Wilkins Street, testified that he was in his front yard when he watched Pierson chase and try to apprehend Johnson.
Boller said when Pierson ran after the suspect, the man said "You're going to have to catch me." He said the officer responded, "I'm going to f--- you up."
When Boller heard the shots fired, he was hit in the leg by one of the bullets.
A second witness also took the stand, offering conflicting testimony about the order in which Johnson and Pierson fell to the ground and when shots were fired.
Others have testified the shots were fired before the two fell down.
Also in court Wednesday was RPD evidence technician Paula Dobson, who photographed Officer Pierson's uniform and gear at Rochester General Hospital. Those photos were entered as evidence. The jury were shown additional pictures of Pierson's blood-soaked uniform.
Paul Green also took the witness stand in court. He's a technician with Shot Spotter and explained how the system worked.
Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley said the trial is moving on much faster than anticipated. She said she expects it to wrap up in the next few weeks.
On Tuesday, jurors watched a short video that prosecutors said shows Johnson shooting at Pierson. The less-than four minute video was edited together from several surveillance cameras.
Doorley said it shows Johnson running up Hudson Avenue with Pierson chasing him. That's when Doorley said Johnson pulls a gun and shoots Pierson once in the head and neck. The video continues showing fellow officers picking Pierson up and putting him in the back of a patrol car.
Testimony resumes on Friday.