Oklahoma prosecutor seeks death penalty for accused cop killer
The video shows officers ordering the suspect to get out of the vehicle dozens of times, but he refuses to comply
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The district attorney in Tulsa, Okla., is seeking the death penalty for a man accused of killing a police officer and wounding another during a traffic stop in June, according to local reports.
David Ware is accused of shooting two Tulsa officers around 3:30 a.m. June 29 after they pulled him over for driving with an expired license plate.
The officers were identified as Sgt. Craig Johnson, who died of his wounds, and Officer Aurash Zarkeshan, Tulsa's KTUL-TV reported.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}During the stop, one of the officers told Ware his vehicle would have to be towed because he owed back taxes. Ware accused the officers of violating his rights, and a fight broke out that led to the shooting, officials said.
David Ware is accused of killing a police officer and wounding another, authorities say. (Tulsa Police Department)
Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler will seek the death penalty for Ware, according to KTUL.
OKLAHOMA MAN ACCUSED OF SHOOTING 2 OFFICERS DURING TRAFFIC STOP IS IN CUSTODY, POLICE SAY
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Earlier this week, police released bodycam video of the incident in response to a court order.
In the video, officers are seen ordering Ware to get out of the vehicle dozens of times, but he refuses to comply, telling officers at one point that demanding he get out of his car “is not a lawful order.”
They eventually try to pull him out – and he begins struggling against them, screaming and resisting. The shooting follows.
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The violence in the video led Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum to turn to Facebook to urge residents, “If you do not have to watch this video for your job, don’t watch it.”
“I have to watch a lot of body camera footage as part of my job,” he wrote. “I can only think of two times in my life -- upon the death of family members -- when I wept like I did watching the conclusion of this video. It is terrible.”
Fox News’ Greg Norman contributed to this report.