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For most of the video, the guy was pretty much restrained, particularly once he was lying on the ground. The cop had first his right knee on the firefighter's torso then left knee on hip/waist while holding his bent left wrist (he may have been holding his hand which easily slips out). He wasn't exactly being cooperative after being placed down, but he didnt attempt to get off the ground and laid on his right side while the cop seemed to have a half-hearted desire to cuff the guy. For some reason the officer didn't just put his right hand on his shoulder, lever his arm with the wrist in his left hand, roll him onto his face and cuff him. Instead of the small joint manipulation of the firefighter's hand he should have grabbed his actual wrist.

Everything changed at :52 when the cop decided he was tired of the guy's protest and spun from the position which had him controlled to dropping a right knee to the guy's head, connecting, bouncing it off the concrete (this would be illegal even in the UFC but cops can do a lot more). This could easily have killed the firefighter, who then put his left arm behind the right leg of the sprawled-out cop (basically a position in which there is no way for a single-leg takedown of the cop to occur, though the firefighter has one foot temporarily on the ground). The firefighter lets go and is on his knees.

The cop is now completely out of any position to cuff the guy and has committed to wrestling.

At this point, the cop is holding the firefighter with an over-hook with his right arm and his left arm was under the firefighter's neck, in what is called an "arm in guillotine choke". The cop then stands up to ostensibly sink in the choke, picking the firefighter up after saying to the observers what sounds like, "Do I look like I need help here?"

As the cop drives forward the firefighter has placed his left arm under the cop's crotch (lifting the person choking the other is actually a proper defense to a guillotine choke) who has no way to post up on his left arm (because it's under the firefighter's neck) and rolls the cop onto his back. The firefighter now has the cop in "side control". Both cop and firefighter have open hands on each other's faces while the firefighter's left hand is posted on the ground under the cop's right armpit. At 1:06 the firefighter's left elbow is on the ground. The cop is already reaching for his gun. At 1:08 as the firefighter pulls his left hand out, the cop begins to draw his firearm.

The firefighter has the cop's head controlled with his left hand and throws one right hand to the left eye of the cop, the next misses and as the camera jumps to only show the reflection in the storefront windows, we hear two slow shots, about a second apart. That guy was dead as soon as the cop landed on his back, who was reaching for it before a single strike was thrown by the firefighter (not really a good time to wait I don't blame him).

Horrible situation that could have been de-escalated rather than turning into a mixed martial arts fight on the pavement. The cop (aside from not properly cuffing the guy then dropping a knee on the guy's head) could have taken a step back at pretty much any point especially considering he was standing for most of the recorded altercation. I would think getting into a wrestling match would be the least-desired situation considering his gun was within reach of the firefighter from then on. He gave up a position of control, in order to go for a high risk knee strike.

I will say I don't doubt that the firefighter was a trouble maker. I'll bet there is some collegiate wrestling in his background and he knew he could kick some people's asses. Ironically, this shows that submissions might be better than G-N-P on an armed combatant. Had the firefighter gone for a Kimura on the right arm instead of punches, he could have controlled the drawn firearm and still be alive. (Sorry to sound insensitive, this is a good real life self defense situation/lesson). Terrible for everybody, some more than others of course.

If I ever see something like this, I'm going to put down the camera and help the cop if only just to keep the drunk from getting himself killed.