73-Year-Old Police Volunteer Accidentally Kills Suspect with Gun Thinking It Was a Taser

TULSA OK – Most people are nervous to hand the keys of a motor vehicle or a dangerous power tool to a senior citizen in fear they may harm themselves or someone else. However, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office had no worries empowering an unpaid, 73-year-old reserve staffer by giving him a gun, a shiny badge and bringing him along on an undercover drug sting operation. No one should be surprised when an under-qualified volunteer who is 5 years away from the median life span, accidentally pulls his gun instead of his taser, then shoots and kills a fleeing suspect as he did last Thursday.

The reserve staffer who fired the fatal shot is Robert Charles Bates, a wealthy insurance executive based in Tulsa. He was ‘working’ in an under cover capacity last Thursday evening as part of the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office Violent Crimes Task Force. TulsaWorld.com was able to confirm the officers identity through a press release, and a follow up phone interview with Bates.

“It was me,” Bates said during the interview. “My attorney has advised me not to comment. As much as I would like to, I can’t.”

The Tulsa Sheriff’s office released a full statement of the events and detailed what led up to pulling the trigger…

..The preliminary investigation has determined that on March 26, 2015, the TCSO Violent Crimes Task Force initiated an investigation into the distribution of a form of methamphetamine referred to as ICE. As the investigation continued over the next several days, an undercover Task Force member made several purchases of ICE from numerous individuals, including Eric Harris. During the course of the transactions, Harris, a convicted felon, also advised he could provide for the sale of a sawed off shotgun and added he had access to other guns for sale. On April 2, 2015, Harris agreed to meet the task force member at 10 a.m. at the Dollar General parking lot located in the 2000 block of North Harvard Ave. in Tulsa, Oklahoma and sell him a 9mm semi-automatic pistol, along with three-hundred rounds of ammunition.

After the transaction took place, an arrest team of deputies approached the car to advise Harris he was under arrest and take him into custody. Before that could be accomplished, Harris exited the vehicle and confronted undercover deputies. As Harris fled northbound, into the southbound lanes of North Harvard Avenue, deputies observed him reaching for his waistband area near his hip, causing concern for the deputies’ safety.

After a brief foot pursuit, a deputy attempted to physically restrain Harris. As Harris continued to resist arrest, the struggle went to the ground where Harris refused to pull his left arm out from underneath his body where his hand was near his waistband. During the rapidly evolving altercation, the reserve deputy had what he believed was his Taser from his tactical carrier and attempted to render aid in subduing the suspect. Initial reports have determined that the reserve deputy was attempting to use less lethal force, believing he was utilizing a Taser, when he inadvertently discharged his service weapon, firing one round which struck Harris.

Harris was treated at the scene by EMSA and died less than an hour later at a Tulsa hospital. “preliminary information” has led investigators to believe Harris was under the influence of PCP at the time of the shooting, Maj. Shannon Clark said.

Although Harris was only accused of voluntarily selling a chemical to an undercover officer, his violent criminal history and alleged drug use will most likely overshadow the carelessness and inexcusable use of deadly force by Robert Bates. Court records show that six criminal felony cases and one misdemeanor case were filed against Harris in Tulsa County District Court over a 10-year span. His convictions include making threatening telephone calls and escaping from a penal institution in 1990, as well as robbery with a dangerous weapon in 1999. He also was found guilty of forging a document and two counts of larceny, records show.

However, as details emerge, TulsaWorld.com reports that Robert Bates was a very good friend of the Sheriff’s Office. In other words, Bates donated more than just his time. His donations came in the form of multiple vehicles, guns, stun guns, and possibly some high tech ‘sunglass cameras’. Apparently Robert Bates didn’t get enough excitement from selling insurance, so he wanted to play GI Joe on the streets of Tulsa.

In contrast, the Tulsa Police Department spokesman commented on their reserve program and stated…

TPD reserves typically work traffic control or events such as parking lot patrols during “Safe Shopper” operations in heavy shopping seasons. The only time Chief Chuck Jordan remembers reserve officers being used on a task force was during last summer’s hunt for a serial rapist. Other than that task force, in which reserve officers sat in marked patrol cars in hopes of deterring the rapist from attacking again, Ashley said TPD reserves “aren’t utilized in task forces or undercover operations.”

So, it appears that Robert Bates may have used this monetary influence to buy his way into situations where he didn’t belong. Who was the Sheriff’s Office to deny a wealthy donor from riding along on a potentially dangerous situation, when he could buy them all kinds of fancy toys. No government agency would want to jeopardize monies for which was outside the scope of a taxpayer approved budget, now would they?

H/T – TulsaWorld.com

Watch the video report below

