Officers charged with manslaughter in boy's death
AP Newsroom
March 23, 2021 12:36 MYT
March 23, 2021 12:36 MYT
OKLAHOMA CITY: Oklahoma City authorities have released body cam footage of the fatal police shooting of a 15-year-old boy.
The release came earlier this month as five Oklahoma City police officers were charged with first-degree manslaughter in last November's shooting.
Stavian Rodriguez was shot by officers responding to reports of an attempted armed robbery at an Oklahoma City convenience store on Nov. 23.
Oklahoma City District Attorney David Prater charged five of the responding officers with first-degree manslaughter. If convicted, they could face up to life in prison.
The officers charged are: Bethany Sears, Jared Barton, Corey Adams, John Skuta and Brad Pemberton. A sixth officer, Sarah Carli, used a "less-lethal" weapon and will not be charged, police said.
After being shot with the "less-lethal" round, while Rodriguez had one hand in his pocket and his other hand near his waistline, all five officers "unnecessarily fire lethal rounds at Stavian Rodriguez, striking him numerous times and inflicting mortal wounds," Prater's investigator, Willard Paige, wrote in an affidavit.
An autopsy determined Rodriguez suffered 13 gunshot wounds, Paige wrote.