Terrance Crutcher OIS Was Suicide By Cop

Viewers first look at the Crutcher/Shelby incident: Shelby on the passenger side of her patrol car, gun drawn, giving verbal commands to Crutcher who was approaching Shelby prior to arrival of the police helicopter and second police patrol car.

Terrance Crutcher demonstrated the textbook example of how to guarantee a deadly force encounter with law enforcement in Tulsa, Oklahoma on the night of 16 September 2016. 

 

It is inconceivable that Crutcher, with a prior weapons arrest, drug trafficking prison sentence, and four separate physical confrontations with police, had no idea how to behave when coming into contact with law enforcement. 

 

Mr. Crutcher knew, from extensive personal experience, the consequences for refusing to comply with police verbal commands and knew what to expect for erratic movements, such as touching his belt line, with police weapons flagging his upper torso.

Although none of Crutcher's prior convictions or criminal incidents justify him being killed, he was keenly aware, from his history of refusing to comply with laws and law enforcement, that being confrontational during police contact, which in this case he instigated, will result in one of two outcomes; incapacitation or death. 

 

Police Helicopter Video:

From the Tulsa Police helicopter video viewers see Crutcher refusing to comply with Officer Shelby's verbal commands while walking away from Shelby with his hands raised. In this scene Shelby has her weapon drawn and is on the passenger side of her patrol car. 

 

This means Shelby exited her patrol vehicle, as Crutcher approached her, putting it between herself and Crutcher for cover and distance, or was partnered with another officer who did not emerge from the drive's side of the patrol unit until after Crutcher was shot.

The first explanation, Shelby being alone and using her vehicle for distance and cover, is more probable since there is not another officer on scene until arrival of the second police vehicle (1:03 this video). In this scenario Shelby most definitely warned Crutcher he would be shot if he continued to approach her. 
 

From the police helicopter video we can see, as the helicopter approaches and the second police vehicle arrives, Shelby has her pistol pointed at Crutcher who turns away from Shelby and begins walking toward the driver side of his silver SUV, still not complying with Shelby's verbal commands to stop. 

This rises the issue, in addition to his vehicle being "disabled" in the center of the road instead of the shoulder, why Crutcher approached Shelby's vehicle and what he said to Shelby that caused her to retread behind her vehicle and draw her service pistol.

 

Crutcher was either taunting Shelby prior to arrival of the helicopter and second police vehicle or behaving erratically due to being under the influence of narcotics. 

Shelby, as an armed LEO in a Stand Your Ground state, retreated and used her vehicle to create distance and cover from a much larger male subject who could have easily overpowered her.

 

Whatever his motivation Crutcher, with suicidal negligence or intent, provoked and instigated a confrontation with Officer Betty Shelby and the Tulsa Police Department that resulted the loss of his life. The color of his skin is completely irrelevant.