The fatal police shooting of Terence Crutcher has sparked outrage on social media, as many struggle with the killing of another unarmed black man.
Crutcher was shot by Tulsa police officer Betty Shelby Friday, after his vehicle broke down in the middle of a road. In a video released by Tulsa police Monday, Crutcher is seen with his hands in the air, followed by an officer with a drawn weapon. He then puts his hands on the vehicle.
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Moments before shots are fired, one of the officers is heard saying “that looks like a bad dude too, could be on something.” Crutcher is then seen laying on his back.
Crutcher was taken to hospital where he later died.
“It’s very difficult to watch,” Tulsa Police Chief Chuck Jordan said Monday during a press conference. “We will do the right thing. We will not cover anything up.”
But the promise of an investigation from the U.S. Department of Justice has done little to calm outrage over Crutcher’s death on social media. By Tuesday morning, Crutcher’s name was a top trending topic on social media under the hashtag #TerenceCrutcher.
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The string of shootings of black men by police officers in the United States has raised questions of racial bias in police forces – Crutcher is just the latest.
Some users also drew comparisons between the shooting involving New York bomber suspect Ahmad Khan Rahami.
According to police, Crutcher did not have a weapon on him or in his SUV when he was shot. It’s not clear from the footage what led Betty Shelby, the officer who fired the fatal shot, to draw her gun or what orders officers gave Crutcher. Shelby’s attorney, Scott Wood, said Crutcher was not following the officers’ commands and that Shelby was concerned because he kept reaching for his pocket as if he was carrying a weapon.
Local and federal investigations are underway to determine whether criminal charges are warranted in the shooting or if Crutcher’s civil rights were violated.
– With files from The Associated Press
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