A snapshot from recently released video where Eric Harris was chased, tackled, and shot by police officers.
Tulsa, OK — Another video of a Black man being killed by a white police officer has been released, but this time in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The video shows 44-year old Harris first fleeing from officers in his car, and then running away from officers on foot. When they catch up to Harris, he’s tackled to the ground and shot about 5 seconds later.
Bates can them be heard saying “Oh, I’m sorry. I shot him.” And Harris is heard screaming, “He shot me. Oh my God!”
But here’s what makes it even more controversial. Harris starts complaining that he can’t breathe, and one of the deputies on the scene says, “F___ your breath.”
Harris, who was unarmed, later died.
But since then, Tulsa police Sgt. Jim Clark, who investigated the case, says he has determined that the shooting was not a crime and that Bates did not violate department policy.
He commented, “Reserve Deputy Bates did not commit a crime. There’s no other determination I could come to.”
He says Bates suffered from a “slip and capture,” a psychological phenomenon that happens when a person is under stress and their behavior “slips” off the intended path after being “captured” by a stronger response demanded by the brain.
Harris’ family is seeking to sue the city of Tulsa, and of course a national outrage has been sparked.
Watch the entire pursuit below:
