Hip Hop mourns another death at the hands of police after Terence Crutcher was shot and killed in Tulsa, Oklahoma Friday (September 16), according to the New York Times.
Police responded to reports that an abandoned car was blocking a road when they confronted Crutcher. Other reports say that the officers came upon the stalled car while responding to another call.
Authorities claim that the 40-year-old man was not listening to orders when interacting with the police. A second police car arrived on the scene and the officers surrounded Crutcher before tazing him. Moments later, Officer Betty Shelby reportedly fired the lone shot that killed Crutcher.
Two videos show the shooting with Crutcher’s hands in the air. One video is from the dash camera of one of the police cars on the scene. The other is police helicopter footage from above the scene. In both videos, the moments of the shooting are obstructed as the officers surround Crutcher.
Shelby’s lawyer, Scott Wood, said his client believed Crutcher had a weapon on him and reiterated that the man acted erratically during the incident. Crutcher reportedly reached into the car window before he was shot. Shelby, who has been on the force since 2011, is currently on paid administrative leave.
Tulsa Police Chief Chuck Jordan addressed the media, admitting that Crutcher was found to be unarmed. He continued by saying that the second squad car arrived after Shelby called for backup because Crutcher was not complying.
Crutcher’s family, which includes a twin sister, expresses sadness at the lost of their loved one to BBC. They ask for people to help them seek justice for the case, but to remain peaceful while protesting.
This comes months after Alton Sterling and Philando Castile were shot and killed by police within days of each other. The events, and shootings directed towards police, caused racial tensions to escalate in the United States.
Questlove addressed the incident in context with the current protest of the National Anthem by NFL players. San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick initiated the protest.
“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” he said as his reasoning for not standing during the “Star Spangled Banner.” “To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”
View dozens of other reactions from the Hip Hop community to the death fo Terence Crutcher below.
Why can’t the police shoot below the waist and wound or taser the guy why they gotta shoot to kill every time. Ridiculous since the video don’t show what happened they gonna say it was justified. B.S.
This bullshit is getting outta of hand we need to wake the fuck up and stop beefing with each other over frivous shit that is irrevalent #wake up time #r.i.p terence crutcher #fuck the crooked pigs
This dude got shot and died because his car broke down. The NY bomber got shot in the arm after injuring 29 people? What’s really going on? And I peeped the cops walking backwards to the car so they face won’t be on camera. Snakes…
Please don’t compare that one fuckin’ terrorists capture to this mans tragedy. If you don’t think that terrorist isn’t getting the shit kicked out of him and waterboarded until his eyes bleed you’re simply wrong.
They killed a man who did nothing and they are just kicking a terrorist who could have potentially taken many lives…
What happened to that dude in Oklahoma is unforgivable, make cops use stun guns instead of guns straight out the gate. But between you and I? I would rather be shot to death than have a prolonged torture.
damn disgrace. Black men are treated worst than terrorists in the country. look at the post shooting treatment the NYC bomber is receiving vs. Black men who have wrongly been executed by police.
the united states is a cauldron of immorality and an institution that vilifies black people particularly Black men.
Where is the gangsta called the Game when you really need him?
They don’t give a fuck about us
It clearly says he was not listening. Most black people are not watching or reading this stuff I’m guessing. Also he reached into his car while not listening. What do you think is going to happen? You don’t listen ,you’re going to pay the consequences.simple as the that. Respect the law.
And he deserved to die?…OK gotcha.
And it said “authorities CLAIM”
The guy in the helicopter said that he was following police commands, so he clearly was listening. Still doesn’t justify being shot.
I HAVE NO OPINIONS UNTIL TALIB KWELI TELLS ME
when will yall sheeps stop believing church niggas propaganda? 1) since when is the suspect standing next to the cops car iso the cop next to the suspects car? 2) both ‘police cars’ are none but private cars 3) no cop ever comes alone, but this vid shows that the ‘cop’ in first car was alone as well as the ‘cop’ in the second car because the other 2 people were running there only later. 4) since when are helicopters ordered for wrong parking? this is some bs fake and used by church niggas, the real criminals, to create hate against real cops in order to take over and replace them with their own criminals to protect their christians criminals and to make sure than none of them ever land behind bars. i hate these fucking liars and the sheeps that believe their lies. WAKE UP N SEE THE ENEMY IS IN UR BED ALREADY
WTF? You Are smoking that really Loud Loudest of Loud buddy. Hook me up! Where is the plug?
ok another question: as it was written both vids are said to be from police sources and noone else had any other material (one from the dashcam, one from the helicoptercam) is it really believable that the cops are not only filming a crime they do while on duty but also spread it around the world which they know will lead not only to riots but most possibly ending their career as well ??? if these were real vids shouldnt they have destroyed em specially because no other people were around? and what is exactly the reason why they should be wanting any riots when they know that it will not only increase their workload but also that they will be the first ones who will be hunted by the angry mob? neither blacks nore cops are profiting from this, its a 3rd party (called church) who will because its a criminal organisation and they hate cops because they hunt criminals. easy as it is. and thats why they use black folks to do their dirty work (in europe they use asylants for the same purpose) and laugh afterwards how stupid ppl are. ur one of the sheeps. if u dont believe it, see how fast all these church niggas come running to applause and crying their praying bs. u can even see it on the top of this acrticle. they use everything for church propaganda. its very obvious for people that are not blind as ur. ur the one on drugs, cuz ur the one who believes that u couldnt live without prayers and holy ghosts, thats are exactly the symtoms of an addiction, believing that ur unable to live without something… so please next time before u start talking bs start using ur fucking brain, thats the only thing u need to survive
seeabove to may brain drop from the sky — should be the other way around dx is messing around…
HEY YOU ARE DUMB RESPECT THE LAW .. THE LAW SHOULD RESPECT LIFE … ITS CALLED WHITE Supremacy DUMMY. SO WHAT IF HE REACHED TAZE HIM NOT KILL HIM. WHITES HAVE SHOOT OUTS N THEY LIVE AFTER AND GET TAKING TO BURGER KING. F THE LAW AND F U . 12 TRIBES ARE AWAKENING I FEEL SORRY FOR YALL.. YAH IS COMING
They did taze him. Read. He was shot after being tazed.
#Hip Hop Bands Together For #TerenceCrutcher, Unarmed Black Man Shot & Killed By Tulsa Police# who exactly is hiphop of the mentioned ??? and since PushaT & Questlove Meek Mill already got their ‘pay’ for promoting the fake bs by getting their own articles today on this website when can we expect articles over NE-YO & Tresongs & Black Eyed peas ??? One lie against another lie = church nigga deal
Try not to rock that tin foil hat in the sun, buddy.
ive banned the sun cuz im not in da mood to share it with liars 😛 no disrespect but i was just stating FACTS maybe u should check ur own website again as ur memory seems to be short
First time meek made since n didnt have to scream it
Everyone keeps asking why? The police are hated, underpaid, understaffed and undertrained. WHEN A COP TELLS YOU TO DO SOMETHING, DO IT! Simple. For some reason black America thinks they don’t have to comply.