Source: David Lentz / Getty
Hamilton County prosecutor Joe Deters announced that the University of Cincinnati police officer, Ray Tensing who shot a motorist during a traffic stop over a missing front license plate was indicted Wednesday on a murder charge.
Authorities say Tensing claims he spotted a car driven by Sam DuBose and missing the front license plate, which is required by Ohio law. Tensing then allegedly stopped the car which is when a struggle began after DuBose refused to provide a driver’s license and get out of the car.
25 year old Tensing who has more than five years of experience in law enforcement, has said he was dragged by the car and forced to shoot at 43 year old DuBose. Officer Tensing fired once, striking DuBose in the head.
However Deters completely dismissed Tensing’s claim he was dragged and suggested that the stop shouldn’t have occurred to begin with. The video depicts Tensing asking DuBose to unbuckle his seat belt and around that time is when Tensing pulls on the door handle, while DuBose puts his hand on the door to keep it closed.
The video becomes shaky at that point, but a gunshot can be clearly heard and DuBose then slumps over in the seat before the car rolls away, coming to stop at a nearby corner. DuBose was black and Tensing is white, however authorities haven’t indicated whether race was a part of the investigation.
Tensing was fired by the University of Cincinnati following his indictment. Tensing was processed on charges of murder and voluntary manslaughter after turning himself in at the Hamilton County Justice Center.
However Stewart Mathews, Tensing’s attorney was actually shocked by the murder charge. Mathew’s claims murder is defined as purposefully killing someone and his client did not intend to kill DuBose. If convicted Tensing could face up to life in prison.
Activist group, Black Lives Matter held a peaceful rally on Wednesday that drew a large crowd outside a courthouse, while some held up signs asking for Justice for Dubose.
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