WATCH: Bodycam Video Released Of Officer's Interaction With Man Carrying AR-15 Near NE OKC Church

Oklahoma City police released body camera footage of how metro church members reacted to a man carrying an AR-15 in front of their building. Officers were called to the Northeast OKC church the day after the permitless carry law went into effect. Business

Thursday, November 7th 2019, 5:13 pm

By: News 9

WATCH: Bodycam Video Released Of Officer's Interaction With Man Carrying AR-15 Near NE OKC Church

Business owners on Northeast 23rd near Martin Luther King Avenue called police after seeing men walking around with guns. Some said the men were looking for a reaction and that was what they got.

The officer announced his body camera was on and spoke directly to the man carrying an AR-15.

Officer: “Just do me a favor for your safety, don’t touch your guns because I don’t feel like killing anybody, OK?”

Timothy Harper and two other men stopped in front of the Israel United in Christ Church. The owner and church members expressed concerns about the gun-toting activists being there.

Officer: “Are they saying anything to you all, anything racially motivated, anything like that by chance?”

Church member: “No. They were asking questions, but we don’t want them on our property. Especially carrying guns and stuff. This is private property.”

Harper was also recording on his phone and posted the video on YouTube. He was seen carrying his weapons in restaurants across the metro.

Business owners near the church believed Harper was trying to intimidate and threaten people in the area.

Harper: “So, we’re just walking down the sidewalk here on the easement and we came here to speak to the gentlemen to ask them what their beliefs were and ask about how they feel about open carry. They’re in Jason Lowe’s district. The representative that opposed permitless carry.”

Representative Jason Lowe (D) Oklahoma City, responded earlier this week to the situation. He said he predicted something like this would happen when the law passed.

“This is dangerous,” said Lowe. “Something that needs to be stopped and this is very concerning.”

The men refused to give police their names. They were not arrested for trespassing and left the area.

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