Arrest warrant issued for officer who shot and killed Terence Crutcher as his arms were raised

Just a week after the deadly officer-involved shooting of a 40-year-old Terence Crutcher, the Tulsa County District Attorney has announced that the investigation is over and charges have been filed.

A warrant has been issued for Officer Betty Shelby’s arrest, and officials say they have been in contact with her attorney about her surrender.

“I don’t know why things happen in this world the way they do,” said Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler. “We need to pray for wisdom and guidance on each of our respective paths in life. Each of us at the end of our days will have to account for our own actions. The only way I know to walk my path is to try every day to pray and to serve my fellow citizens so that he or she may be lifted up.”

Police at the scene claim Crutcher was acting erratically and ignoring commands.

“He was mumbling to himself and would not answer any of Officer Shelby’s questions. Mr. Crutcher kept putting his hands in his pockets and Officer Shelby kept telling him to show his hands. At that point, Mr. Crutcher began walking towards the abandoned vehicle with his hands held up and was not responding to any of Officer Shelby’s commands to stop,” the police report claims.

In dash cam video released Wednesday, Crutcher can be seen walking away from officers and toward his vehicle with his arms raised and his hands appearing to be empty.

Police then claim Crutcher reached in the driver’s side window — a claim that his family’s attorney denies.

“The window was up, so how can he be reaching into the car if the window is up and there’s blood on the glass?” Attorney Benjamin Crump said, holding up a picture showing Crutcher’s body on the ground outside of his vehicle and a blood streak running down the driver’s side window.

This story is developing and we’ll update it as soon as more details emerge.

Sky Palma

Before launching DeadState back in 2012, Sky Palma has been blogging about politics, social issues and religion for over a decade. He lives in Los Angeles and also enjoys Brazilian jiu jitsu, chess, music and art.

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