Cop mistakes his own gun for taser and shoots/kills suspect (Vid in Link)

[MikeMaslowski]

Bodies are piling up. What say you? Was it an accident?

SEE IT: Video shows Tulsa man’s last moments alive after accidental police shooting (WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT)

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nati...icle-1.2181787

It was a mistake.

That’s the blasé explanation Oklahoma officials gave after the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man by a white deputy who accidentally pulled his gun when he meant to use his Taser.

The botched encounter was captured on a disturbing video released by police on Friday — nine days after the fatal Tulsa shooting.

“He shot me! He shot me, man. Oh, my god. I’m losing my breath,” Eric Harris says as he struggles on the ground following the April 2 shooting, which flew under the radar until video emerged a week later.

“F--- your breath,” a callous officer can be heard saying. “Shut the f--- up!”

Reserve Deputy Robert Bates, 73, (below) shouted “Taser! Taser!” before pulling the trigger on his gun, firing a round into Harris.

“I shot him!” the former policeman says, dropping his gun. “I’m sorry.”

Bates was assisting other deputies who were trying to take Harris into custody after the felon fled from police during a sting operation, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office’s said.

“You shouldn’t have f-----g ran!” another deputy screams, as Harris is held down by his neck and head.

Harris, who was in his 40s, was pronounced dead about an hour after the shooting, authorities said.

He had bolted from officers who were trying to arrest him for selling a 9 mm. semiautomatic pistol and ammunition to undercover cops.

Harris, who was unarmed, had reportedly done time for assault and battery on an officer.

He was “absolutely a threat when going down,” Tulsa Police Sgt. Jim Clark said at a news conference.

Sheriff’s Capt. Billy McKelvey claims the arresting officers were not aware Harris had been shot, despite the gunshot noise and Bates’ admission. They called paramedics and firefighters, and rendered aid when they realized, McKelvey said.

“He made an inadvertent mistake,” McKelvey said.

Sgt. Dave Walker told the Tulsa World that police “would not investigate the death unless the sheriff’s office asked them to, and they have not asked us to.”

[WilliamTheIrish]

A ****ing volunteer policeman in a city of that population?

I guess we're all fortunate CP hero George Zimmerman didn't sign up.

[jspchief]

Originally Posted by BigMeatballDave

I clearly said: 'I don't know what taser'.

Also, I put the negligence on his supervisor for putting him on duty, in that type of situation.

73 yr old deputies probably shouldn't even be doing rent-a-cop work.

I'm sure you and others would love to put this old man in front of a firing squad.

How long have you hated the elderly?

Show us on the doll where grampa touched you...

I don't hate old people ( at least not all of them), I just hate people that accidentally shoot people to death.

[WilliamTheIrish]

Originally Posted by temper11

The shooter did not say this... at least not my interpretation of the one time I watched the vid.

I don't give a **** who said it. You can bet that they've said it in many situations.

The nerve of the criminal. After getting murdered he says "I'm losing my breath".

The cops should at least say something for the benefit of the public like:

"Hey, stop bleeding and being shot, you're out of breath because you ran. Not cause of some bullet from a 73 year old".

According to Tulsa World, Robert Bates, 73, who made the fatal mistake that cost a man his life, is a local insurance company executive who has donated multiple vehicles, weapons, and stun guns to the Sheriff’s Office since becoming a reserve deputy in 2008.

Teach a man to fish and he'll feed...taser and he'll be able to kill for life.

Bates, who served as a Tulsa police officer for one year in 1964, is not compensated for his time assisting the sheriff’s deputies, and is classified as an “advanced reserve,” meaning he “can do anything a full-time deputy can do,” explained Clark.

So he was a one year deputy 50 ****ING YEARS AGO and he can do everything Denver Chief/Coffee can do. That's the standard?

he "served as chairman of the Re-elect Sheriff (Stanley) Glanz Committee in 2012 and donated $2,500 to Glanz’s campaign that year."

Well... He did say he was sorry. That'll be a wrap here in Tulsa.

[BigMeatballDave]

Proof that the media sucks and is loaded with racial double-standards.

Why didn't we hear about this? http://wreg.com/2014/11/25/salt-lake...med-white-man/

[kysirsoze]

Originally Posted by Chief_For_Life58

Maybe you shouldn't run from a cop?

HOT TAKES!! GOT YER HOT TAKES HERE!!!

[Skyy God]

Originally Posted by FD

Literally???!

Literally.

[kysirsoze]

Originally Posted by jspchief

And was strapped to his chest, not holstered at his side near his gun.

Not surprisingly, the "he thought he was using a tazer" story is starting to look like a bullshit coverup story. Negligent homicide. Have fun in prison you stupid old ****.

Whoa. So it was clearly murder. Good thing he's old and rich and friendly with the DA so it was just a horrible accident.

[WilliamTheIrish]

Originally Posted by BigMeatballDave

Proof that the media sucks and is loaded with racial double-standards.

Why didn't we hear about this? http://wreg.com/2014/11/25/salt-lake...med-white-man/

Hey ARROWBALLDave

Take your racial aspect out of this thread. It's about cops v citizens.

Also, zero ****s given.

[kysirsoze]

Originally Posted by BigMeatballDave

Proof that the media sucks and is loaded with racial double-standards.

Why didn't we hear about this? http://wreg.com/2014/11/25/salt-lake...med-white-man/

Because it was on camera, the guy refused to show his hands, and he quickly raised his hand from his waistband. Oh, and this is a Facebook post from the guy...



This is a total non starter despite your race bullshit. Sorry.

[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by WilliamTheIrish

Hey ARROWBALLDave

Take your racial aspect out of this thread. It's about cops v citizens.

Also, zero ****s given.

Completely different than that arrow ****. My complaint is on the Media.

These all should be reported evenly.

[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by kysirsoze

This is a total non starter despite your race bullshit. Sorry.

**** off, my complaint is about the media.

[kysirsoze]

Originally Posted by BigMeatballDave

**** off, my complaint is about the media.

And my complaint is you comparing that case to this one to prove your point. I assume you hoped people wouldn't actually read the article you posted.

[Abba-Dabba]

Originally Posted by BigMeatballDave

**** off, my complaint is about the media.

Your complaint is about the media not covering it but yet post a link from a media outlet covering it?

[Eleazar]

I think that much like airline pilots or people in other jobs where reaction time and clarity of mind are critical, there should be an age limit for police and they should need to pass some sort of an evaluation every year after a certain age even before that.

Why a 73 year old man is walking around trying to arrest known felons like this guy, gang bangers, crackheads, and everything else cops are tasked to deal with these days is hard to understand.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Al Czervik

Agreed....and hopefully suspend or eliminate the stupid ass program that lets 73 yo geezers play cop.

I can kind of understand why they'd let that guy play cops and robbers. He's donating money. If he wants to sign a waiver and go ride around, fine. But someone like that should never have been armed. Give him a canister of pepper spray and a whistle. Maybe even give him a taser, but that's questionable. But a gun? That's insane. The lawsuit will cost more than his donations, I bet.