Unarmed black pastor holding both hands in the air shot dead by police after his car broke down

Jamie Micklethwaite20 September 2016

An unarmed black pastor was tasered and then shot dead by police while he held both hands in the air after his car broke down.

Police officer Betty Shelby opened fire on Terence Crutcher in Tulsa, Oklahoma, after he had been tasered by another officer.

She fired once. The victim was rushed to hospital but later died from his injuries.

Police were initially called to deal with Mr Crutcher’s broken down SUV around 7.40pm on Friday. They claimed he refused to raise his hands and reached inside the vehicle.

But dashcam footage released by Tulsa Police Department clearly shows the pastor walking round the back of his car with his hands in the air.

Footage taken from a police helicopter which shows the same from above also confirms this, as well as an officer saying: “He’s got his hands up there for her now.

“This guy is still walking and following commands.”

The moment before Officer Shelby opens fire
Tulsa Police Department via AP

Mr Crutcher was then tasered by an officer, and fatally shot by Officer Shelby, although this is not clear from the footage.

Tulsa police chief Chuck Jordan confirmed in a press conference on Monday that Mr Crutcher was unarmed and did not have a weapon inside his vehicle.

He described footage of the shooting as “very disturbing, very difficult to watch.”

He added: “I want to assure our community and I want to assure all of you and people across the nation watching this, we will achieve justice.”

A criminal investigation into the shooting has been opened by the police department and the federal Justice Department has opened a separate civil rights investigation.

Officer Shelby gave a statement to homicide detectives yesterday and has been placed on paid administrative lead, according to a police spokesman.

Paid leave: Officer Shelby gave her statement yesterday
Tulsa Police Department via AP

Mr Crutcher’s family members have appealed for any protests held in his name to be peaceful while calling for a thorough investigation.

Family attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons said: “We saw that Terence did not have any weapon.

“Terence did not make any sudden movements. We saw that Terence was not being belligerent.”

The Tulsa shooting comes after mass protests over black men being shot by police in Minnesota, Louisiana and Florida.

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