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Some details released but questions remain in fatal UC officer-involved shooting
CINCINNATI -
There are mounting questions about the fatal police shooting of a man during a traffic stop in Mount Auburn Sunday evening.
UC police Officer Ray Tensing fired the fatal shot which struck Sam Dubose, 43, in the head.
Cincinnati police are conducting the investigation which includes body camera video that has not yet been released.
Police say there is a sound investigative reason to withhold it for now.
In the past 24-hours around Rice and Valencia where the shooting happened, friends and family of Sam Dubose said their main question hangs like a terrible weight in the heavy summer air.
"He don't carry no gun," Hadassah Thomas, a friend of the shooting victim, said. "So, why'd he get shot?"
At a mid-afternoon news conference, UC police said Officer Ray Tensing started following Dubose at Vine and McMillan because of a missing front plate.
When Dubose stopped the car Rice near Valencia, officer Tensing asked for license and registration.
UC Police Chief Jason Goodrich told media Monday afternoon "During the conversation, Mr. Dubose produced a bottle of alcohol from inside the car, handing it to Officer Tensing, but was unable to produce a driver's license."
Cincinnati police say body cam video shows there was a struggle at the car door between the officer and Dubose.
Police say the officer was knocked to the ground as the car moved off the curb.
As for when the shot occurred, Lt. Col. James Whalen of Cincinnati police responded, "Very quickly, as the car started to move and before the officer fell to the ground."
When asked if Officer Tensing had reached into the car at any point during the struggle, Whalen said "I don't have clarity on that yet. I'm waiting to enhance this video to get a better answer to that."
The shot that was fired hit Dubose in the head and the car he was driving crashed into a wall, yards from where the original stop occurred.
Those who knew Dubose are grieving and describing his style of living as non-confrontational.
"I just got the news at work and I walked off of my job because I'm devastated about my friend," J. B. Smith told WLWT News 5.
The criminal case history of Dubose is replete with arrests for driving without a license, unauthorized plates and driving with a suspended license.
Court records indicate many of the charges were dismissed.
One of his sons delighted in telling WLWT how fun-loving Dubose was, how he loved riding motorbikes through the city.
The dissatisfaction among loved ones who listened to the police account on Monday was evident.
Rashonda Reid, a relative of Dubose said, "Why would they be shooting after the vehicle if their life wasn't in danger? That's crazy."
A stepdaughter said, "They have the officer's body camera. Why have they not looked at this footage so that they can let us know exactly what happened?"
Police said the body cam video is not being released right now at the request of the prosecutor.
Investigators want to interview Tensing first so they can compare his account with what the video shows.
He is currently on paid administrative leave, per policy, during the investigation.
Mister B.;8229064 said:You drop the first body, since you all gung-ho.
Otherwise, do some squats or push-ups or something, and calm down.
UC, family want answers on fatal police shooting
A student group at University of Cincinnati and community members demanded answers Tuesday about the police shooting that killed a man during a traffic stop Sunday.
Abijah Reid, fiancee of Samuel Dubose who was shot dead by UC police officer Ray Tensing, stood outside UC police offices Tuesday with her children and members of UC Students Against Injustice to get more information on the shooting.
"We did not get any answers at all," said Reid. "There are more questions than anything."
Tensing shot Dubose, 43, after stopping him for a missing front license plate. Investigators are still trying to piece together the details. Hamilton County Prosecutor Joseph Deters said he expects to have an assessment of the incident completed by the end of next week.
When asked to produce his license, Dubose gave Tensing an unopened bottle of alcohol instead, said UC Police Department Chief Jason Goodrich.
"People are losing their lives over not having a license plate," said Cierra Carter, 20, a UC student. "Those are not offenses worth dying for."
Tensing opted to wait 48 hours before giving a statement to investigators. That time period expires 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Goodrich said they "hope" Tensing will give a statement at some time on Tuesday.
Goodrich and Cincinnati police viewed the body camera footage and video of the incident from a nearby building.
Dubose was shot in the head and killed by Tensing when the two struggled through the car door, Goodrich said. Tensing sustained bruised legs and his uniform was torn during the struggle.
Students and members of Dubose's family asked why the officer pulled out his gun, and wanted to view the video footage of the incident.
"This is a process where we want to evaluate everything as a whole," Goodrich said, adding that he did not want to speculate on the incident.
Video of the shooting has not yet been released.
"Why can't I see the video?" Dubose's 9-year-old son asked Goodrich.
The Hamilton County Prosecutor's office has embargoed the camera footage during the initial investigation, Goodrich said.
After answering some questions in front of the crowd, Goodrich took Dubose's family into his office. Ohio State Senator Cecil Thomas joined the meeting temporarily.
"This type of meeting with law enforcement would never have taken place years ago," Thomas said. "Getting information out as quickly as possible to help the community understand what happened is critical. Unfortunately, UCPD has no control over certain areas."
The Enquirer has requested Tensing's personnel file, the incident report, 911 calls and video footage related to the shooting from Cincinnati Police and UC Police.
Cincinnati Police directed all records requests to UC police. "This is a UC Police incident," CPD wrote in response to The Enquirer's request.
The Enquirer also requested use-of-force statistics from UC Police, who said the requests will be filled soon.
Demonstrators were frustrated by the lack of answers and transparency officials have offered.
"We come here to demand transparency for Samuel Dubose," said UC senior Alexander Shelton, 25, founder and president of UC Students Against Injustice. "Today, we say enough is enough."
Just before 11 a.m. Tuesday, UC president Santa Ono tweeted a link to a statement on the incident.
"On behalf of the University of Cincinnati community, I want to extend our condolences to the family and loved ones of Samuel Dubose," Ono stated. "Our hearts grieve for his loss. We also know that police officers risk their lives every day, and when their efforts to protect themselves and our community result in a death, it is a tragedy. No matter the circumstances, it is a time of unimaginable sadness for all involved."
Shelton was not moved by Ono's statement.
"His words were not enough. His statement was rushed and inappropriate," Shelton said.
UC Students Against Injustice was founded in November to address the university's lack of response to the Black Lives Matter movement and social justice issues, Shelton said.
The group wants to see the administration be more transparent regarding social justice issues.
"We want a real-time response so the community can find peace and the family can find justice," Shelton said.
The Black Lives Matter group in Cincinnati shared the UC student's group's event on social media, though group members could not attend because of work.
"We definitely think it's important," said Brian Taylor, a member of the group. "We support the demand for clarity and transparency in this killing in which we think the circumstances are very questionable."
Taylor said Black Lives Matter will discuss Dubose's killing at a planning meeting Tuesday night.