The man who triggered a police chase that left his teenage friend dead said he felt responsible for the shooting of Kyle Tait.
Testifying by video link from prison, Ian Campbell said he stole cars for a living, and was hoping to make $4,000 by selling the SUV he drove into a police car three years ago.
"I don't take the bus, I steal cars," said Campbell in a video that was found in the SUV that carried Tait and three other teens on a joyride from Surrey to New Westminster.
Campbell planned to unload the SUV at a Surrey chop shop, but it was closed.
When he reached New Westminster, police tried to pull him over. Campbell took off, triggering a police pursuit.
Campbell kept using vice grips to keep the SUV running, but it kept stalling.
On Burns Street he was boxed in -- police cars in front and behind. He claimed he tried to force his way out -- he hit the cruiser driven by Const. Todd Sweet twice.
Sweet testified a rookie police officer was inside, and feared for his life -- so he chose to fire three shots into the vehicle.
Campbell says the SUV then stalled. He leaned down to grab the vice grips. He looked up to see Const. Sweet pointing a gun. Campbell claims Sweet said nothing.
Campbell says he put his hands up in the air. Then he was shot twice in the hand.
One of the bullets struck Kyle Tait in the back.
Campbell's version differs from Const. Sweet's story. Sweet says he ordered Campbell to show his hands, which he didn't. And he says the SUV moved towards him when he opened fire.
In his testimony, Campbell apologized to Kyle's mother.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Lisa Rossington
