A US police officer has been fired after fatally shooting a man in a motorised wheelchair while responding to a reported shoplifting.
Tucson police officer Ryan Remington fired nine shots at 61-year-old Richard Lee Richards during the incident.
The Arizona city's police chief said on Tuesday that he's "deeply disturbed and troubled" by the officer's actions during the incident.
Mr Remington's attorney has defended his client's actions.
On Tuesday, police in Tucson released footage of the Monday incident, which began after Mr Richards was accused of stealing a toolbox from a local Walmart.
Both a Walmart employee who confronted him and Mr Remington reported that Mr Richards had brandished a knife during the incident, refused to comply with orders to surrender the weapon, and attempted to move away.
According to the Walmart employee, Mr Richards said that "if you want me to put down the knife, you're going to have to shoot me".
The footage - drawn from CCTV cameras and police bodycams, including one on Mr Remington - shows Mr Remington and another officer following Mr Richards to the entrance of another nearby store, with one officer instructing him to "not go into the store".
Mr Remington then fires nine shots from his gun at Mr Richards, who slumps forward and falls from his wheelchair. He was then handcuffed. He was later declared dead.
"His [Mr Remington's] deadly use of force in this incident is a clear violation of department policy and directly contradicts multiple aspects of our use of force and training," Tucson police chief Chris Magnus said on Tuesday.
"As a result, the department moved earlier today to terminate Officer Remington," he added.
Tucson Mayor Regina Romero said in a statement that Mr Remington's actions were "unconscionable and indefensible".
The incident is now being reviewed by the Pima County Attorney's Office.
Michael Storie, an attorney representing Mr Remington, told the BBC in an interview that the department's overview of the case is "only half the story" and that "many more important details were withheld" from the department's news conference.
"Officers always have alternative actions that can be second guessed," Mr Storie said. "However, just because there are multiple actions, doesn't mean the one he chose was inappropriate."
An additional statement on behalf of Mr Remington is expected later Wednesday.
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(CNN)Tucson police on Tuesday moved to terminate an officer after he fatally shot a man in a motorized wheelchair who was accused of shoplifting and pulling a knife when confronted outside a Walmart, officials said.
Video released by the Tucson Police Department showed Officer Ryan Remington several steps behind the man in the wheelchair, identified by police as 61-year-old Richard Lee Richards. The officer asked Richards to stop before firing nine rounds -- striking him in the back and side -- as the man headed into another store, according to police.
An attorney for Remington said the video released by police did not offer a complete picture of events leading to Monday's shooting.
Richards had been accused of stealing a toolbox from Walmart when an employee contacted an off-duty Tucson police officer who was working a special duty assignment at the store, according to a statement from Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus.
Remington, an officer for four years in Tucson, joined the Walmart employee in the parking lot and followed Richards while "attempting to gain his cooperation," the police chief said in a statement.
"According to the employee, he caught up with Mr. Richards outside as he fled the store and asked to see a receipt for the toolbox. Instead of providing the receipt, Mr. Richards brandished a knife and said, 'Here's your receipt.'"
Magnus said that Remington wanted Richards to stop and to surrender his knife.
"Mr. Richards refused to comply, and instead continued to head through the Walmart and Lowe's parking lots," Magnus said.
"I have a male suspect that just shoplifted, left in front of me, he pulled a knife on me," Remington radioed in.
"According to the Walmart employee, Mr. Richards said, 'If you want me to put down the knife, you're going to have to shoot me.'"
A second officer arrived on the scene to assist Remington.
Both officers were a short distance behind Richards when they warned him not to enter the store, the chief said.
The video shows Richards beginning to enter the Lowe's when Remington tells him, "Do not go into the store, sir." Seconds later, the officer begins shooting Richards, who slumps over and falls out of his chair and onto the ground.
Remington fired nine rounds, according to Magnus.
"His use of deadly force in this incident is a clear violation of department policy and directly contradicts multiple aspects of our use of force training," Magnus said. "As a result, the department moved earlier today to terminate Officer Remington."
CNN has reached out to Remington but did not hear back.
First article: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-59439798
Second article: https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/01/us/arizona-wheelchair-officer-shooting/index.html
Tucson police officer Ryan Remington fired nine shots at 61-year-old Richard Lee Richards during the incident.
The Arizona city's police chief said on Tuesday that he's "deeply disturbed and troubled" by the officer's actions during the incident.
Mr Remington's attorney has defended his client's actions.
On Tuesday, police in Tucson released footage of the Monday incident, which began after Mr Richards was accused of stealing a toolbox from a local Walmart.
Both a Walmart employee who confronted him and Mr Remington reported that Mr Richards had brandished a knife during the incident, refused to comply with orders to surrender the weapon, and attempted to move away.
According to the Walmart employee, Mr Richards said that "if you want me to put down the knife, you're going to have to shoot me".
The footage - drawn from CCTV cameras and police bodycams, including one on Mr Remington - shows Mr Remington and another officer following Mr Richards to the entrance of another nearby store, with one officer instructing him to "not go into the store".
Mr Remington then fires nine shots from his gun at Mr Richards, who slumps forward and falls from his wheelchair. He was then handcuffed. He was later declared dead.
"His [Mr Remington's] deadly use of force in this incident is a clear violation of department policy and directly contradicts multiple aspects of our use of force and training," Tucson police chief Chris Magnus said on Tuesday.
"As a result, the department moved earlier today to terminate Officer Remington," he added.
Tucson Mayor Regina Romero said in a statement that Mr Remington's actions were "unconscionable and indefensible".
The incident is now being reviewed by the Pima County Attorney's Office.
Michael Storie, an attorney representing Mr Remington, told the BBC in an interview that the department's overview of the case is "only half the story" and that "many more important details were withheld" from the department's news conference.
"Officers always have alternative actions that can be second guessed," Mr Storie said. "However, just because there are multiple actions, doesn't mean the one he chose was inappropriate."
An additional statement on behalf of Mr Remington is expected later Wednesday.
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(CNN)Tucson police on Tuesday moved to terminate an officer after he fatally shot a man in a motorized wheelchair who was accused of shoplifting and pulling a knife when confronted outside a Walmart, officials said.
Video released by the Tucson Police Department showed Officer Ryan Remington several steps behind the man in the wheelchair, identified by police as 61-year-old Richard Lee Richards. The officer asked Richards to stop before firing nine rounds -- striking him in the back and side -- as the man headed into another store, according to police.
An attorney for Remington said the video released by police did not offer a complete picture of events leading to Monday's shooting.
Richards had been accused of stealing a toolbox from Walmart when an employee contacted an off-duty Tucson police officer who was working a special duty assignment at the store, according to a statement from Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus.
Remington, an officer for four years in Tucson, joined the Walmart employee in the parking lot and followed Richards while "attempting to gain his cooperation," the police chief said in a statement.
"According to the employee, he caught up with Mr. Richards outside as he fled the store and asked to see a receipt for the toolbox. Instead of providing the receipt, Mr. Richards brandished a knife and said, 'Here's your receipt.'"
Magnus said that Remington wanted Richards to stop and to surrender his knife.
"Mr. Richards refused to comply, and instead continued to head through the Walmart and Lowe's parking lots," Magnus said.
"I have a male suspect that just shoplifted, left in front of me, he pulled a knife on me," Remington radioed in.
"According to the Walmart employee, Mr. Richards said, 'If you want me to put down the knife, you're going to have to shoot me.'"
A second officer arrived on the scene to assist Remington.
Both officers were a short distance behind Richards when they warned him not to enter the store, the chief said.
The video shows Richards beginning to enter the Lowe's when Remington tells him, "Do not go into the store, sir." Seconds later, the officer begins shooting Richards, who slumps over and falls out of his chair and onto the ground.
Remington fired nine rounds, according to Magnus.
"His use of deadly force in this incident is a clear violation of department policy and directly contradicts multiple aspects of our use of force training," Magnus said. "As a result, the department moved earlier today to terminate Officer Remington."
CNN has reached out to Remington but did not hear back.
First article: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-59439798
Second article: https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/01/us/arizona-wheelchair-officer-shooting/index.html
