TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — A Tucson police officer has been fired after he was accused of shooting a shoplifting suspect in a wheelchair nine times, killing him, after the man brandished a knife, authorities said Tuesday.
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Police announced at a news conference that Officer Ryan Remington was being terminated for excessive use of force.
Authorities said Richard Lee Richards, 61, died at the scene, and the shooting was recorded on Remington’s body camera.
Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus said he was “deeply disturbed and troubled” by Remington’s actions and the case is under review by the Pima County Attorney’s Office.
“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 and training,” Magnus said.
TW Police Murder.
Tucson, AZ Police officer Ryan Remington shoots and murders a 61-year-old man in a motorized wheelchair from behind. Shoots him at point blank range.😓
This is yet again beyond the pale. How Do You Reform This?!
pic.twitter.com/EkV0mJO1IQ— Qasim Rashid, Esq. (@QasimRashid) December 1, 2021
Tucson Mayor Regina Romero said in a statement that Remington’s actions were “unconscionable and indefensible,” and the County Attorney’s Office has her full support as it proceeds with its investigation.
Tucson attorney Mike Storie, who is representing Remington, said in a statement that his client “had no non-lethal options.”
“He did have a taser, but in his mind, he couldn’t use it because he didn’t feel he had the proper spread to deploy it, with the wheelchair between him and Richards,” Storie said.
Magnus said Remington, a four-year veteran, was on a “special duty assignment, basically a security detail” at the Walmart store in the Midvale Park Shopping Center on Monday night.
A loss prevention employee at Walmart told Remington a man in a motorized wheelchair allegedly stole a toolbox from the store.
According to police, Remington and the store employee followed the man outside and asked for a receipt.
Richards reportedly said “Here’s my receipt,” pulled out a knife and kept moving toward a nearby home improvement store.
Remington allegedly ordered Richards to drop the knife and not to enter the store, but the suspect ignored the officer before he was fatally shot and fell out of his wheelchair.
That cop is not too bright.
The guy in the wheelchair was obviously nebach off his meds and not being threatening. The cop should have acted like a normal human being. This is mamish retzichah!
Wow!! Just wow!!!! You’d think that after George Floyd and the aftermath, cops would use some brains now. How could you even begin to defend this?
Even with the rash of major store thefts this didn’t have to happen lack of training for this type of situation at best for so many reasons this was wrong
What does triumphinwhitehouse have to say? I need to know, it’s very important. I’ll settle for educated archy’s opinion as a second, if anybody knows.
He had a knife. And it could be that the officer suspected that he was really an able-bodied guy using the wheelchair as cover.