Cincinnati police officer Ray Tensing charged with murder over shooting of black driver

It's never wise to defy the police but antagonism towards the police has been preached to blacks.  Bad advice, this time fatal


Tensing

A DRAMATIC bodycam video has emerged showing the moment a Cincinnati police officer pulled a gun and fatally shot an unarmed driver.

The video was released by police on Wednesday during a news conference announcing officer Ray Tensing, 25, had been charged with the murder of Samuel DuBose, 43.

Officer Tensing discharged one round into DuBose’s head on July 19 after DuBose attempted to drive away from a routine traffic stop.

Tensing faces life in prison if convicted, Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters said on Wednesday.

“He lost his temper because Mr Dubose wouldn’t get out of his car,” Deters said.  “When you see this you won’t believe how quickly he pulls his gun. Maybe a second — it’s incredible.”

The 3 minute 40 second video begins when Tensing approaches the drivers side window of DuBose’s car.

Tensing asks DuBose if he has a license on him and explains that he was pulled over for failing to display his front license plate.

DuBose searches for his license and pulls out an unopened bottle of gin. He explains that he does not have his license on him. “I have a license, you can run my name,” DuBose says.

Tensing responds by asking: “Be straight up with me, are you suspended? Why don’t you have your license on you.”

Things escalate quickly when Tensing attempts to open DuBose’s door. “Go ahead and take your seatbelt off,” Tensing says.

DuBose reaches for the ignition, saying: “I didn’t even do nothing,” before attempting to drive away.

In an instant, Tensing shouts “stop”, pulls out his weapon and fires a single shot at close range through the drivers side window as DuBose drives away.

The officer catches up with the car less than 100m down the road where DuBose’s body appears limp in the front seat.

The footage was reportedly shown to DuBose’s family before being released to the public.

On Wednesday, Deters labelled the shooting “asinine” and “senseless”.

“I’ve been doing this for over 30 years. This is the most asinine act I’ve ever seen a police officer make — totally unwarranted,” he said.

“It’s an absolute tragedy in the year 2015 that anyone would behave in this manner. It was senseless.

“People want to believe that Mr. DuBose had done something violent towards the officer — he did not. He did not at all. I feel so sorry for his family and what they lost, and I feel sorry for the community, too,” Deters said.

Tensing surrendered to authorities on Wednesday and has been fired from his job at the University of Cincinnati.

His lawyers are expected to argue that he feared for his life. “The guy jams the keys in the ignition,” Stew Mathews told CNN.

“Turns the car on, jams it in the drive and mashes the accelerator. He wasn’t slowly pulling away. (Tensing) feared for his life. He thought he was going to be sucked under the car that was pulling away from him. He thought he was going to get sucked under and killed.”

DuBose’s mother told reporters she was grateful the real story had come out.

“I want everybody to just lift up their heads in prayer, and thank God because this one did not go unsolved and hidden,” said Audrey DuBose. “We’re going to continue to fight together with God.”

The footage is expected to further inflame tensions between police and the public in the US following the shootings of Michael Brown, Walter Scott and Tamir Rice.

Earlier this month, Black Lives Matter activist Sandra Bland was pulled over for failing to indicate when changing lanes in Texas. She was found hanged in a police cell hours later.

Original report here


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