A white US police officer has been charged with murder after shooting dead a black driver during a traffic stop over a missing car licence plate.
University of Cincinnati police officer Ray Tensing killed 43-year-old Samuel Dubose after pulling him over near the campus on July 19.
“He purposely killed him,” prosecutor Joe Deters said. “He should have never been a police officer.”
The issue of excessive police force has sparked national debate and protests.
Video released on Wednesday appears to contradict Officer Tensing’s police report, which said he was “dragged” by DuBose’s car as he drove away and fired a shot, hitting him in the head.
Deters called it the “most asinine act” by a police officer he had ever seen.
The video shows the two having a friendly exchange with tensions escalating only shortly before the violence.
The officer asks for DuBose’s driver’s licence and he says he does not have it but he is not suspended from driving.
DuBose shows the officer an unopened bottle of liquor in the car.
Officer Tensing then asks DuBose to unbuckle his seatbelt. Almost immediately after that, a shot is fired and the car appears to move.
Local media reports said Officer Tensing had turned himself in to law enforcement.
DuBose’s death follows a series of cases in which black people have died in police custody or during arrest, reports the BBC.
In recent week protests have focused on Sandra Bland, a black woman who was arrested after a traffic stop but later found dead in her Texas jail cell.
Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley said protestors have every right to be angry and that the city police department is “ready to deal with anything happening”.
University of Cincinnati police officer Ray Tensing killed 43-year-old Samuel Dubose after pulling him over near the campus on July 19.
“He purposely killed him,” prosecutor Joe Deters said. “He should have never been a police officer.”
The issue of excessive police force has sparked national debate and protests.
Video released on Wednesday appears to contradict Officer Tensing’s police report, which said he was “dragged” by DuBose’s car as he drove away and fired a shot, hitting him in the head.
Deters called it the “most asinine act” by a police officer he had ever seen.
The video shows the two having a friendly exchange with tensions escalating only shortly before the violence.
The officer asks for DuBose’s driver’s licence and he says he does not have it but he is not suspended from driving.
DuBose shows the officer an unopened bottle of liquor in the car.
Officer Tensing then asks DuBose to unbuckle his seatbelt. Almost immediately after that, a shot is fired and the car appears to move.
Local media reports said Officer Tensing had turned himself in to law enforcement.
DuBose’s death follows a series of cases in which black people have died in police custody or during arrest, reports the BBC.
In recent week protests have focused on Sandra Bland, a black woman who was arrested after a traffic stop but later found dead in her Texas jail cell.
Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley said protestors have every right to be angry and that the city police department is “ready to deal with anything happening”.
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