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| 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.
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.
