5 Officers Charged With Manslaughter In Connection With Fatal Shooting Of Metro Teenager

First-degree manslaughter charges were filed Wednesday by District Attorney David Prater against five officers involved in the shooting death of 15-year-old Stavian Rodriguez. According to the Oklahoma City Police Department, the officers were identified as Corey Adams, Jared Barton, Bethany Sears, Jonathan Skuta and Bradley Pemberton.

Wednesday, March 10th 2021, 3:42 pm

By: News 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -

First-degree manslaughter charges were filed Wednesday by District Attorney David Prater against five officers involved in the shooting death of 15-year-old Stavian Rodriguez.

According to the Oklahoma City Police Department, the officers were identified as Corey Adams, Jared Barton, Bethany Sears, Jonathan Skuta and Bradley Pemberton.

Rodriguez, who was accused of armed robbery last Nov. 23 at a southwest Oklahoma City convenience store, was confronted and shot by police.

The charges filed state that the five officers "...acting jointly, willfully, unlawfully, and unnecessarily killed Stavian Rodriguez, by shooting him with a firearm."

According to court documents, as numerous officers were giving commands, Rodriguez lifted his shirt and showed his waistline. The documents state he pulled a gun from his pants and dropped the weapon on the ground.

Documents reveal, after dropping his weapon, Rodriguez placed his left hand in his back pocket and his right hand in his front pocket. A sixth officer, identified as Sergeant Sarah Carli, then fired a less lethal round that hit Rodriguez. Adams, Barton, Sears, Skuta and Pemberton then fired lethal rounds that hit Rodriguez causing his death, documents state.

Carli was not charged.

Officials said a cellphone was found in Rodriguez's left pocket where he had his hand at the time of the shooting. No other weapons for found on Rodriguez.

Oklahoma City Fraternal Order of Police president John George released a statement in response to Wednesday's charges against the officers.

“Officers must make life and death decisions in a split second, relying on their training. When an armed robbery suspect did not obey police commands, five officers perceived the same threat and simultaneously fired their weapons.

A loss of life is always a tragedy and we know these officers did not take firing their weapons lightly. The OKC FOP stands by these officers and maintains they acted within the law.”

The officers involved in the deadly shooting remain on administrative leave.

Oklahoma City police also released body camera videos from the fatal shooting on Wednesday.