US video shows cop shoot dead Oklahoma man

US authorities say a reserve sheriff's deputy accidentally fatally shot a suspect when he intended to use his stun gun.

US authorities have released video showing the killing of a black suspect by a white reserve sheriff's deputy during a recent arrest in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The video of the April 2 incident shows a Tulsa County deputy chase and tackle 44-year-old Eric Harris, whom they accuse of trying to sell an illegal gun to an undercover officer.

While the deputy is subduing Harris on the ground, a gunshot rings out and a man says, "Oh, I shot him. I'm sorry".

Authorities say the shooter was 73-year-old reserve deputy Robert Bates, and that he meant to use his stun gun.

Harris screams, "He shot me. Oh my God," and a deputy replies: "You f***ing ran. Shut the f*** up."

Harris then says he's losing his breath.

The 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' family requested that it be made public.

It was recorded by deputies 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.

An investigator who reviewed details of the shooting concluded that the deputy suffered a phenomenon known as "slips and capture".

Tulsa Police Sergeant Jim Clark, who was asked to investigate the shooting by the sheriff's office, has said Bates was a victim of a high stress phenomenon in which a person's behaviour "slips" off the intended course of action because it's "captured" by a stronger response.

Results of the investigation were turned over to prosecutors, who will decide whether to file criminal charges.


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Source: AAP



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