By Police1 Staff
TULSA, Okla. — Video has been released of the fatal shooting of a suspect by a reserve deputy during a foot pursuit.
According to Tulsa World, the April 2 shooting occurred after convicted felon Eric Courtney Harris sold a 9mm pistol to undercover officers during a sting and fled as police moved to make an arrest.
As police struggled with Harris after catching up to him during the ensuing foot pursuit, 73-year-old Reserve Deputy Robert Charles Bates, who had a pepper ball gun in his left hand and his service weapon in the other, shot Harris while yelling “Taser” to officers involved in the struggle.
A police official called the mistake a “slips and capture” – stress in the heat of the moment causing Bates to mistakenly believe he had holstered his weapon and drawn his ECD.
The official also highlighted that Bates dropped his weapon from the unexpected recoil and did not double-tap as further evidence that the officer’s action was a mistake.
Bates reportedly said, “I shot him! I’m sorry,” moments after firing his weapon.
Officers did not initially know Harris had been shot. He died an hour after the incident after police called for EMS.