TULSA, Okla. (AP) – A state lawmaker called Thursday for an independent review of Tulsa’s reserve deputy program as more questions arose about the training of a 73-year-old volunteer officer who says he accidentally shot a suspect to death while the man was being held down by others.
The Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office said it would conduct an internal investigation, but Rep. Mike Shelton fears a growing mistrust of police after a series of high-profile killings by law officers.
“There are too many variables here for me and anyone else to believe that this investigation is going to be impartial,” said Shelton, a Democrat from Oklahoma City. “We simply cannot afford to have the public’s trust in our law enforcement eroded any further. We need to remove the appearance of personal and political biases from this case.”
Reserve deputy Bob Bates has said he mistakenly pulled out a handgun rather than a stun gun on April 2 as Eric Harris lay on the ground after running from deputies conducting a sting operation. Video from the scene captured Bates apologizing for shooting Harris, who was being detained on suspicion that he tried to sell guns to an undercover officer.
“Oh, I shot him! I’m sorry,” said Bates, who has been charged with second-degree manslaughter.