Watch: Unarmed Black Man, Terence Crutcher is Shot Dead by White Officer in Tulsa

Call it Déjà vu. 

Terence Crutcher, a black 40-year-old man, was unarmed. He appeared to be cooperating with police, with his hands up as they escorted him toward his car. Yet suddenly, in moments that were largely obstructed in the videos released by the Tulsa Police Department on Monday, an officer shot and killed Crutcher.

According to the local newspaper Tulsa World, police were responding to an unrelated call on Friday, September 16, when they spotted Crutcher’s stalled car. We don’t know what happened when police arrived at the scene. Instead, the videos begin as Crutcher is guided by officers, one of whom is aiming her gun at him, slowly to his car. He has his hands up during this time.

Via (MIKE SIMONS/AP) The Crutcher family grieving.  

Police claim that Crutcher then failed to follow orders — leading officer Betty Shelby to fire her weapon and officer Tyler Turnbough to use his Taser on Crutcher. By the looks of the videos, the Taser and gun were seemingly fired almost simultaneously. 

In my opinion, the mere fact that both the taser and gun were fired at the same time shows a lack of organization and communication, alone proving negligence and shotty police work. Officer Shelby took matters into her own hands and shot and killed an innocent man and for that she deserves to pay the price.  

This type of tragedy has occurred far too many times and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent. These type of killings need to come to an end, and the conviction of the participating officers should serve as the example.