Tulsa officer shoots man dead after Taser ‘mistake’

Subtitling in the accompanying film not by Channel 4 News

Authorities have released video showing the fatal encounter between a black suspect and a white reserve sheriff’s deputy in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Police claim the officer thought he was holding a Taser instead of his handgun when he shot the man during a recent attempted arrest.

The video of the 2 April incident shows a Tulsa County officer chase and tackle Eric Harris, 44.

Harris was accused of trying to sell an illegal gun to an undercover officer.

An officer is heard telling Harris: “I need you to roll on your stomach.”

At about the same time, a woman is heard in the background saying: “Stop fighting.”

While the officer is subduing Harris on the ground, a gunshot rings out and a man says: “Oh, I shot him. I’m sorry.”

Died in hospital

Authorities have identified the shooter as 73-year-old reserve deputy Robert Bates, and said that he meant to use his stun gun.

Harris screams: “He shot me. Oh my God,” and an officer replies: “You f****** ran. Shut the f*** up.”

Harris then says he’s losing his breath. A deputy replies: “F*** your breath.”

Harris was treated by medics at the scene and eventually died in a Tulsa hospital.

The video was released over the weekend after Harris’s family requested that it be made public.

It was recorded by officers with sunglass cameras, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office officials said.

They said Bates believed he was holding a Taser and intended to incapacitate Harris when the fatal shot was fired.