Dramatic body camera video has been released of a police shooting of a man armed with a crowbar who threatened to assault a University of Chicago police officer.  The availability of body cameras is proving to be a boon for good cops and a bane for those who transgress the policies and procedures designed to protect cops and the public.

WGN TV of Chicago presents the background necessary to understand the video below:

University of Chicago police have released body cam video and video from a police vehicle of a shooting that injured a student who charged at an officer with a metal pipe.

The University of Chicago student has been identified as 21-year-old Charles Thomas.  Thomas is facing criminal charges in connection with the shooting, including felony aggravated assault of a peace officer and two counts of felony criminal damage to property, according to Chicago police.

He is also facing two misdemeanor counts of criminal damage to property.

The incident happened about 10:12 p.m. Tuesday in the 5300 block of South Kimbark Avenue in Hyde Park.  University police were responding to a robbery call when they encountered Thomas carrying a long metal pipe, the university's president and provost said in a joint statement.

He was bashing car and apartment windows, police said.

When officers told Thomas to drop the pipe, he refused and instead charged at one of the officers, officials said.  That officer shot the student in his shoulder.

As you watch this video, ask yourself how you would feel in this situation.

Thomas is hospitalized.  The officer is on mandatory leave while a formal investigation is underway.  The wheels of justice grind slowly, but thanks to the body camera revolution in police work, justice will be done.

Score one for electronic techology.