The Tulsa World reports that a tip has told the defense attorney’s for Tulsa Police Officer Betty Shelby that Terence Crutcher was walking down the street firing a handgun on the day before he was ultimately shot and killed by Officer Shelby after he reportedly failed to follow commands and appeared to be on PCP according to Shelby, a Drug Recognition Expert.
In a motion filed by defense attorneys, Tulsa Police responded to that call and recovered a Glock firearm that had been reported stolen. The gun was turned in as a “hold for owner” rather than as evidence.
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“Betty Jo Shelby seeks to have the firearm preserved and held for evidence so that she may have the firearm tested for possible DNA and/or fingerprints and to be held as evidence to present in her defense for the charged crime of manslaughter,” attorney Shannon McMurray wrote.
This report follows another revelation by KOTV’s Lori Fullbright that Crutcher had a similar run in with police on the Oklahoma State University Campus is 2012. The OSU-Tulsa report says officers were investigating a shots fired call when they encountered Crutcher on April 27th, 2012.
The report says the officer pointed his rifle at Crutcher, who ignored repeated commands to stop and show his hands. The officer said Crutcher finally got on the ground, after being threatened with a Taser, but still did not show his hands.
After several warnings, the officer Tased Crutcher and, after more warnings to show his hands, Tased him a second time.
Once in custody, Crutcher told paramedics he was high on PCP and was taken to a hospital.
Just prior to the deadly encounter with Tulsa Police on September 16, 2016, Crutcher reportedly had a run in with campus police at Tulsa Community College.
There are conflicting reports on that encounter that range from the fact he was disoriented and asked to leave campus or that he could not find his class and had to be helped to class.
We will continue to update you on this story but one thing is clear, this is a very complicated case and the actions of Terence Crutcher on the day of the deadly incident and the days before will be a focal point in the defense of Officer Betty Shelby.
