Police Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Tulsa Officer's Attorney Says She Believed Crutcher was On PCP Before Fatal OIS

Her attorney says Shelby is a drug recognition expert and she suspected Crutcher was "on something," possibly PCP.

September 22, 2016
Tulsa Officer's Attorney Says She Believed Crutcher was On PCP Before Fatal OIS

Officer Betty Shelby of the Tulsa Police Department shot and killed Terence Crutcher Friday evening. (Photo: Tulsa PD)

3 min to read



Tulsa police officer Betty Shelby, identified as the officer who shot 40-year-old Terence Crutcher on Friday night, has offered her side of the story in the fatal encounter.

Shelby's attorney, Scott Wood, maintains that Crutcher refused to follow more than two dozen commands and that he reached into the open window of the car before Shelby perceived a threat and shot him.

Ad Loading...

Shelby was on her way to another call when she came upon Crutcher’s SUV parked in the street with the engine running. The man was outside the vehicle. Dispatch was already sending other officers to the scene in response to a 911 call. The 911 call was received at 7:36 p.m. Friday evening.

Wood said "it's important to remember" that Shelby was on the scene with Crutcher for about a minute and a half before the start of the video clip released by police on Monday.

When she arrived at the scene, Crutcher walked toward her. She asked if the SUV was his vehicle, but he did not respond.

Crutcher then began to put his hand into his left pocket, Wood said, adding that Shelby told Crutcher, "Hey, please keep your hands out of your pocket while you're talking to me. Let's deal with his car."

Crutcher did not respond, Wood said, so Shelby ordered him again to get his hand out of his pocket. He then pulled his hand away and put his hands up in the air, even though he was not instructed to do so, which Shelby found strange, Wood said.

Ad Loading...

Shelby tried to get Crutcher to talk to her, but he simply mumbled something unintelligible and stared at her. He then walked to the side of the road and stood with his hands in the air but put one hand in his pocket again.

Her attorney says Shelby is a drug recognition expert and she suspected Crutcher was "on something," possibly PCP.

Shelby then radioed in that she had a subject "who is not following commands."

"You can kind of hear a degree of stress in her voice when she says that," Wood said.

At this point Shelby pulled her gun, Wood says. She ordered Crutcher to stop multiple times as Crutcher walked toward the SUV with his hands up, Wood said. Shelby repeatedly commanded him to stop, Wood said. His hands were still in the air.

Ad Loading...

Crutcher's arms came down, and he turned to face the car, Wood said, and he reached into the driver's side window with his left hand. That's when Shelby fired one shot and a fellow officer, Tyler Turnbough, who had just arrived, deployed a Taser.

Shelby believed that when Crutcher attempted to reach into the car, he was retrieving a weapon, Wood said. In her interview with homicide detectives, she said, "I was never so scared in my life as in that moment right then," according to Wood.

The Department of Justice is investigating the shooting, ABC News reports.

More Patrol

image of trooper, shown from waist down, standing beside a police cruiser along the road and at right a headline Slow Down Move Over.
PatrolMarch 19, 2026

Colorado State Patrol Releases 2025 Struck-By Analysis

The Colorado State Patrol, after analyzing its 2025 struck-by incidents, identified one area for improvement: using traffic cones to provide advanced warning before the cruiser's location. Here is the agency’s final data.

Read More →
Image of a group of men in business attire receiving an award set against a black background and a Streamlight logo up top.
PatrolMarch 19, 2026

Streamlight Names 144th Marketing Group Law Enforcement Sales Rep Agency of the Year

Streamlight has recognized the 144th Marketing Group as its 2025 Sales Rep Agency of the Year Award for the Law Enforcement market.

Read More →
Image of a group of men in business attire receiving an award set against a black background and a Streamlight logo up top.
PatrolMarch 19, 2026

Streamlight Names 144th Marketing Group Law Enforcement Sales Rep Agency of the Year

Streamlight has recognized the 144th Marketing Group as its 2025 Sales Rep Agency of the Year Award for the Law Enforcement market.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
DArk backgroundn with inset images of a fallen police officer and a ballistic helmet and headline Rife-Rated.
PatrolMarch 19, 2026

The Mission After the Moment

The mission of the Jorge Pastore Foundation is to support first responders through essential training, stronger community engagement, and mental wellness resources, all accessible and funded through donations, sponsorships, and foundation-led fundraising. It works closely with Team Wendy in the discussions about developing better protective gear for officers.

Read More →
Promotional graphic for Patrolfinder featuring a police chief’s headshot inside a circular frame alongside a police SUV in the background. The headline reads: “Built for Patrol: How One Police Chief Fixed Communication, Boosted Visibility, and Changed the Culture.”
SponsoredMarch 17, 2026

Built for Patrol: How One Police Chief Fixed Communication, Boosted Visibility, and Changed the Culture

Patrol work hasn’t changed—but the expectations on officers have. See how one police chief helped officers get the right information at the right time, improve patrol visibility, and strengthen trust without adding complexity or surveillance. This real-world story shows how patrol-driven technology can make the job safer, smarter, and more effective—starting on day one.

Read More →
Man in a blue blazer lifting his shirt to reveal a concealed handgun in a waistband holster while standing outdoors.
SponsoredMarch 2, 2026

Safariland Solis Rethinks Concealable Duty

What if Level I retention didn’t require a full duty rig? Safariland’s Solis delivers trusted ALS security in a streamlined OWB platform built for administrative and plainclothes professionals who need protection without the bulk.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Woman kneeling with a Bloodhound in front of a white pickup truck.
PatrolMarch 1, 2026

K-9s Play a Critical Role in Finding Missing Persons

Real-world scenarios show that a tracking canine can detect and follow a human track several hours after it was made.

Read More →
Black background with image of police car light bar, logo for POLICE Topics, Tactics & Tips, and headline What are the latest law enforcement boots from Garmont Tactical?
Patrolby Wayne ParhamFebruary 25, 2026

Garmont Tactical’s LE Boot Lineup

In this video, we get a look at the latest law enforcement boots from Garmont Tactical, both for men and women. Kyle Ferdyn, sales manager, showcases four of the latest boots.

Read More →
Person in protective CMRN suit and breathing gear.
PatrolFebruary 18, 2026

Avon Protection Launches EXOSKIN-S2 High-Performance CBRN Protective Suit

With the commercial availability of Avon Protection’s EXOSKIN-S2, users now have increased options for their protective suit requirements across the spectrum of CBRN threat environments.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Sky background with logos for Versatern and Aloft
PatrolFebruary 18, 2026

Versaterm Acquires Aloft to Unlock a New Era of Drones for Public Safety

Versaterm has acquired Aloft, an FAA-approved Unmanned Service Supplier (USS) that specializes in real-time airspace intelligence and flight authorizations.

Read More →