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A police officer in Arizona has been fired after shooting a 61-year-old disabled man nine times in the back on Monday night.
Tucson police officials said at a news conference on Tuesday that Ryan Remington was terminated for excessive use of force in the death of Richard Lee Richards, who was in a motorized wheelchair when the officer repeatedly shot him in front of a home improvement store.
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The shooting at the Midvale Park Shopping Center was recorded on security cameras and police body cameras, and the videos were subsequently shared on social media. Body camera footage shows Remington and Officer Stephanie Taylor confronting Richards from a few feet behind as he steers his wheelchair toward a Loweās entrance.
āDo not go into the store, sir,ā an officer is heard telling Richards, who appears to ignore the warning. Taylor is then heard saying, āStop now, you need to … ā before Remington begins shooting at Richards in the back and side at close range, based on whatās shown on the video. Loweās security footage shows that a store employee was also near the Loweās entrance, ahead of Richards, and could have been struck by one of Remingtonās bullets.
In the graphic footage, Richards then slumps over and falls out of his chair. Remington is then seen rushing toward him, and he handcuffs the man as heās crumpled on the ground instead of trying to administer lifesaving aid. Richards was pronounced dead soon afterward.
Remingtonās actions were āunconscionable and indefensible,ā Tucson Mayor Regina Romero said in a statement to local media.
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āIt is moments like this that test our resolve to ensure justice and accountability,ā she said. āWe owe this to all Tucsonans. I ask our community to remain calm and be patient as investigations ensue.ā
Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus said Tuesday that a Walmart employee reported that Richards was suspected of shoplifting a toolbox, and when he was asked to show a receipt, Richards reportedly pulled out a knife and said, āHereās your receipt.ā Richards then began to head toward the Loweās store across the parking lot, according to police.
Remington, who Magnus said served as a security liaison for the store, was alerted to the confrontation and followed Richards in the parking lot. Video shows the officer calling for backup because Richards āpulled a knife on me.ā Taylor responded and arrived at the scene as Remington began approaching Richards near the Loweās, but before she could finish telling Richards to stop, Remington began firing at him.
āTo be very clear, I am deeply disturbed and troubled by Officer Remingtonās actions,ā Magnus said. āHis 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.ā
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Remingtonās attorney Mike Storie, who represents officers in the police union, told The Arizona Republic that his client āhad no non-lethal optionsā despite Remington having a Taser and the ability to turn off Richardsā wheelchair.
āHe did have a Taser, but in his mind, he couldnāt use it because he didnāt feel he had the proper spread to deploy it, with the wheelchair between him Richards,ā Storie told the Republic, not including the fact that the wheelchair between Remington and Richards did not stop the officer from shooting the man nine times.
The mayor tweeted on Tuesday that the police union āis not the most objective arbiter in this matter,ā and that āthe video speaks for itself.ā The Pima County Attorneyās Office is currently reviewing the shooting for potential criminal charges against Remington.
A lawyer who had represented Richards in a criminal case told The New York Times that Richards used a wheelchair due to a hip replacement and other physical issues.
Richardsā death came one day after Tucson police announced they were investigating an incident in which an off-duty officer pinned a mother and daughter to the ground at a restaurant last month. Police announced their investigation following an Arizona Daily Star columnistās lengthy account of the incident, along with video.
āUnderstandable anger & frustration concerning two recent incidents involving our dept. I appreciate those concerns. Weāre working to be as responsive & transparent as possible,ā Magnus tweeted Tuesday. āThanks for feedback but Iāll block obscenity and incivility since it adds nothing to the conversation.ā
Source: huffpost