An Oklahoma reserve sheriff’s deputy charged with manslaughter in the shooting death of a man who was subdued on the ground has surrendered to authorities.
Robert C. Bates of Tulsa is licensed by the state insurance department as a property/casualty insurance producer and surplus lines broker in Oklahoma. He turned himself in on April 14 at the Tulsa County Jail.
Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler charged the 73-year-old insurance executive with second-degree manslaughter in the April 2 shooting of 44-year-old Eric Harris, who authorities say tried to sell an illegal gun to an undercover officer. Officials say Bates accidentally shot Harris after confusing his stun gun and handgun.
The Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office reserve deputy was released after posting bond. He didn’t comment to the media. He faces up to four years in prison if convicted.
A video of the incident recorded by a deputy with a sunglass camera and released on April 10 shows a deputy chased and tackled Harris. A gunshot rang out as the deputy wrestled with Harris on the ground and a man says: “Oh, I shot him. I’m sorry.”
Harris was treated by medics at the scene and died at an area hospital.
Andre Harris, the victim’s brother, said he does not believe the shooting was racially motivated. Bates is white and Harris is black.
Tulsa Police Sgt. Jim Clark, who investigated the shooting as an independent consultant at the request of the sheriff’s office, concluded that Bates had been so engrossed in the stress of the moment that he did not think clearly about what he had in his hand.
Bates, who was briefly a full-time officer with the Tulsa Police Department from 1964 to 1965, updates his state deputy certification every year and has completed more than the state-required hours for a reservist, said Tulsa County sheriff’s spokesman Shannon Clark. He said Bates is typically used in a support role, such as interviewing and paperwork, as does not usually engage suspects.
Tulsa County Sheriff Stanley Glanz has described Bates as a personal friend. Records show Bates has been a generous donor to the department since he became a reserve deputy in 2008.
Topics Oklahoma
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
Florida Public Adjuster, Renter Charged With Filing Claim on Rental Home 
Zuckerberg Avoids Personal Liability in Meta Addiction Suits 
California Chiropractor Sentenced to 54 Years for $150M Workers’ Comp Scheme 
Progressive Records Five-Fold Increase in Q1 Net Income 
