The Tulsa Police Department has released body-camera footage related to a fatal officer-involved shooting from October, hoping to shed light on a nightmare scenario.
The shooting took place on the afternoon of October 27, when officers spotted a disabled motorist and stopped to assist.
“She said she was experiencing problems with her wheels, a lug nut had fallen off. She said her ex-boyfriend had gone to get something to fix it, and he was on his way back,” said Sgt. Shane Tuell with the Tulsa Police Department.
According to KTUL, Officers D. Jones, C. Riley and J. McRee soon found themselves coming into contact with Luis Arreguin-Lara, who was riding his bike towards them with a tire iron.
When the Oklahoma-based officers ordered the man to drop the tire iron, Arreguin-Lara produced a handgun.
“He turned his right hip sideways to get his hip away from the officers and began digging at his hip, and that was a key indicator to the officers he may have a weapon, and sure enough, he did,” said Tuell.
While body camera footage may reveal that officers shot first, the mere drawing of a weapon justified the use of force for the Tulsa Police.
“Ultimately, when you produce a firearm in the manner that he did, it was very threatening. They felt like, at the very minimum, their lives were in danger and [they] had to make that quick decision,” said Tuell.
Arreguin-Lara was killed in the shooting, and has a felony warrant for his arrest at the time of the incident.
All officers are now back on duty.
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