The family of Terence Crutcher, the man Shelby shot, called the charge “a small victory”.
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If convicted, Shelby will face a sentence of anywhere between four years to life.
Police in Kansas City, Missouri are investigating an officer there who in a social media post praised Shelby for a “good shot”, the Kansas City Star reported.
Shelby, who’s charged with manslaughter, was booked into the local county jail and released shortly afterward on $50,000 bond.
Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler charged Shelby, who is white, with “first-degree manslaughter-heat of passion” in the killing of Terence Crutcher, 40, who was approached by police September 16 as he stood in the middle of a road with a auto that appeared to have stalled.
The Oklahoma man killed by police this week died from a “penetrating gunshot wound of chest”, the state medical examiner’s office said Friday, classifying the death as a homicide.
Why? Officials believe she “reacted unreasonably by escalating the situation from a confrontation with Mr. Crutcher”, the World claims.
An attorney for Mr. Crutcher’s family disputes the officer’s account, saying the auto window was rolled up and that Mr. Crutcher was putting his hands on top of the vehicle.
According to court documents filed by prosecutors, Shelby “unlawfully and unnecessarily” shot the father of four children because he was refusing to comply with her order.
Boosie added, ” I’m exhausted of this pu$$y a$$ sh*t I think it’s safe to say ‘ do not stop for the police it’s a 70% chance they will kill u n it’s a 97% chance they will be found not guilty (FACTS) 4 years smh ‘ without that badge she a bitch n a half”. And police said Crutcher did not have a gun on him or in his vehicle. She was responding to a separate call for a domestic disturbance when she came upon Crutcher in the road.
An attorney representing the Oklahoma police officer charged with first-degree manslaughter says his client drew her gun instead of a stun gun because she thought Terence Crutcher was armed.
The affidavit also indicates that Shelby “cleared the driver’s side front” of Crutcher’s vehicle before she began interacting with him. Crutcher, his white shirt stained with blood, lies on the ground alone and unattended for almost two minutes before an officer puts on medical gloves and begins to examine him.
In footage of the shooting, an officer aboard a helicopter above can be heard saying, “He’s got his hands up there for her now”.
U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch has announced that the federal government is looking into Crutcher’s death.
Police have held back many details in the case, citing the investigation, but Sgt. Dave Walker confirmed Tuesday that investigators found the drug PCP in Crutcher’s vehicle.
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In a statement to the press, Crutcher’s family said, “Today, we are thankful to TPD and Chief Jordan for providing info and happy charges were brought”. “She said the other day in her interview with homicide detectives, ‘I was never so scared in my life as in that moment right then'”. “We are convinced that the current culture of policing fosters bias against black people in general and black males in particular”.
