Police officer charged with murder in fatal shooting of Samuel Dubose

A Univ. of Cincinnati officer was charged with killing a man after stopping him with no front license plate, prosecutor says. Adding that the officer “purposely killed him”and “should have never been killed”.

Police body camera footage depicting the fatal shooting was released at a press conference on Wednesday, as the city braces for possible protests over the case.

Samuel Dubose, 43, was fatally shot in the head by officer Ray Tensing of the University of Cincinnati police department on 19 July. The incident occurred during a routine traffic stop after Tensing had pulled Dubose over for having a missing front license plate. According to the police account Dubose refused to provide officer Tensing with his driver’s license, producing a bottle of alcohol instead and refusing to exit the vehicle.

Announcing the charges on Wednesday, Hamilton county prosecutor Joseph Deters described the shooting as “so senseless”.

“I feel sorry for his [Dubose’s] family. I feel sorry for the community, it should never have happened.”

Video of the incident shows Tensing approach the car July 19 and ask Dubose for his driver’s license, but the driver does not do so.

Dubose insists he has a license and asks the officer to check his name to confirm, but he does not offer any explanation for why he cannot show his license.

Tensing asks about a bottle he can see inside the vehicle, and Dubose hands him a bottle of gin.

The officer asks him to be honest and admit if his license is suspended, but Dubose insists that his license is valid.

Tensing then asks Dubose to unbuckle his seat belt and step out of the car, and the driver starts to do so.

As he turns to unbuckle the seat belt, he apparently takes his foot off the brake, causing the car to move slightly.

The officer then draws his weapon and fires immediately, killing Dubose.

“He didn’t do anything violent to the officer, he wasn’t dragging him, and he intentionally pulled out his gun and shot him in the head,” said Prosecutor Joe Deters.

The officer told 911 dispatchers immediately after the shooting that he fired one shot, fatally striking Dubose in the head, because he was “almost run over” during the traffic stop. Tensing said in the incident report that he was “dragged” by the vehicle.

“He was making excuses for the purposeful killing of another person,” Deters said. “I’m not saying he’s smart, I’m saying that’s what I think he did.”

News reports stated that Tensing turned himself in on Wednesday to face charges of murder and voluntary manslaughter. He faces life in prison if convicted.