Terence Crutcher’s Family Files Civil Suit Against Officer Betty Shelby

The family of the unarmed man who was killed in Tulsa, Oklahoma in September 2016, Terence Crutcher, has filed a civil suit against the police office who killed him, Betty Shelby.

Shelby was acquitted in the shooting death of Crutcher back in May, sparking outrage.  Crutcher’s family called the verdict a disappointment.

“Terence was not the aggressor; Betty Shelby was the aggressor,” Tiffany Crutcher, Crutcher’s sister said. “Betty Shelby had the gun. Betty Shelby was following him with his hands up.”

The lawsuit the family has now filed calls the shooting unnecessary.

“The dangers police officers generally face also do not provide a license to police officers to ‘shoot first and ask questions later,’ without properly evaluating the need for such force," it states.

KTUL-ABC also reports the civil suit also names the City of Tulsa, which provided training for Shelby who testified "her decision to use deadly force ... resulted solely and exclusively from the training provided" by the city," according to the filing.

The family is seeking $75,000 in damages according to the report.