Tulsa officer charged in shooting death

Prosecutors have charged a white police officer with first-degree manslaughter in the shooting death of Terence Crutcher, an African-American man, last week in Tulsa, Okla. Officer Betty Shelby came upon Crutcher’s vehicle stopped in a city street Sept. 16 while responding to another call. An affidavit filed with the charge against Shelby stated she “reacted unreasonably by escalating the situation from a confrontation with Mr. Crutcher, who was not responding to verbal commands and was walking away from her with his hands held up, becoming emotionally involved to the point that she overreacted.” Protesters who gathered outside the Tulsa County courthouse this evening expressed disappointment Shelby was not charged with murder. Shelby told officers she feared for her life and thought Crutcher was going to kill her.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.