BARTLESVILLE, Okla. -- Body camera video from a deadly officer-involved in Bartlesville has been released.
The incident happened on January 17 when police were attempting to serve a search warrant. Bartlesville officers typically do not wear body cameras, but one of the officers had his phone attached to his chest.
The video shows the officers knocking on the front door and saying three times, “Police Department. Search warrant.”
Officers kick in the door and make immediate commands to the suspect, Michael Livingston, to get on the ground.
Several pops are heard. Livingston tells the officers, “That’s my mother.” Two officers are hit by projectiles, one in the leg and the other in the face.
Police yell out, ordering the 72-year-old woman to put down the gun. Livingston says, “It’s a BB gun.” A split second later, a loud gunshot is heard. The officer who was shot in the face shoots toward the armed woman.
Livingston yells, “That’s a BB gun. You killed my mother.” That encounter lasted about 20 seconds.
Officers clear the house and take Michael Livingston into custody. As he’s being escorted to the police unit, he repeatedly screams, “Ya’ll killed my mother. They killed my mama!”
Minutes later outside, the officer who was shot told the officer with the camera he didn’t know what he was shot with. He says he saw her pointing a gun and shooting another officer, so he went in for back up. He says the woman pointed the gun at him, so he fired his weapon.
The other officer asked if he shot her. He said, “I think so, man. Yeah.” 72-year-old Geraldine Townsend died from her injury.
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is still looking into the incident. The officer who fired his weapon is still on leave.
Michael Livingston was taken to jail. Documents say he told investigators and jail officers that once he was out of jail, he would track down drug task force officers and kill them and their children.
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