A police officer has been praised for holding fire as a murder suspect repeatedly begged him to shoot him. The scene was captured on officer Jesse Kidder’s body camera during a tense stand-off on US 52 in Brown County, Ohio.

He had been told to follow Michael Wilcox, 27, and was warned he might be armed.

Suddenly, Wilcox got out of his car and ran at the officer, who is a former Marine who served two tours in Iraq.

He kept charging towards Mr Kidder, saying repeatedly: “Shoot me!” “Get your hands up right now!” the officer screams back.

“Stop! Stop, right there! I don’t want to shoot you man. I don’t want to shoot you…”

Eventually Wilcox, who later told officers he was under the influence of multiple substances, lies on the ground with his arms stretched out. Mr Kidder told TV station WLWT: “Law enforcement officers all across the nation have to deal with split-second decisions that mean life or death.

“I wanted to be absolutely sure before I used deadly force.” Chief Randy Harvey, from New Richmond Police Department, praised the officer’s bravery during Wilcox’s “suicide by cop” attempt.

“Officer Kidder’s life was placed in immediate danger and I am proud to say he used great restraint at the risk of his own safety,” he said.

Wilcox has been charged with the murder of his girlfriend Courtney Fowler in Brown County. Police said they found evidence in his car linking him to a second murder in Erlanger, Kentucky. Recent police shootings have drawn criticism that some officers are too quick to use their weapons.

The most high-profile was in Ferguson, Missouri, last year when officer Darren Wilson shot dead an unarmed 18-year-old, sparking months of protests.