OKC officers cleared in fatal June shooting

The fatal police shooting of a 24-year-old man along Interstate 35 last month has been ruled justified.

About 10:25 a.m. June 10, police were called about a man firing a gun at vehicles in the 1200 block of N Interstate 35. Police at the scene found Vincense Dewayne Williams Jr. with a gun in his hand.

Police said Sgt. Wesley Parsons and Sgt. Dustin Fulton ordered Williams to drop the gun and he complied with the order and put his hands up. Moments later he reportedly bent down and picked up the gun and faced the officers.

The officers shot Williams, fatally wounding him. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

No vehicles along the highway were struck by gunfire in the incident, police said.

In body-worn camera video released Thursday, Fulton can be seen getting out of his police vehicle, armed with a rifle and began shouting commands to Williams.

“He's dropped the gun. He's got his hands up,” Fulton can be heard saying and then ordered Williams to the ground.

Williams can be seen standing upright and then bending down, where police said he picked up the handgun he previously dropped. Fulton can be seen firing at least four shots and then saying, “Shots fired. He grabbed the gun. Shots fired.”

After another shot, Williams drops to the ground and Fulton can be heard saying “Shots fired. He's down.” But Williams attempted to get back up and both officers opened fire.

The video shows both officers run to Williams, who is still breathing at the time, and an order for paramedics to come to the scene is given.

In Parsons' body-worn camera video, a black handgun is seen in the roadway, just feet from Williams.

In the days after the shooting, Williams' family said the incident was completely out of character for him and that he suffered from mental illness that had taken a toll on him following the death of his parents.

Fulton and Parsons were placed on paid administrative leave after the shooting.

Oklahoma City Police Department officials on Thursday said the shooting was deemed justified by Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater.

In a Wednesday letter to Oklahoma City Police Department Chief Wade Gourley, Prater said after Williams dropped the handgun, he “quickly reached down and retrieved” the firearm. “It appeared as if Williams intended to shoot your officers,” Prater wrote.

Prater said the officers employed deadly force to “defend themselves and numerous civilians,” and that the use of deadly force was lawful and justified.

“OCPD Officers Fulton and Parson are cleared for duty as you see fit. Their actions were exemplary of what we expect from law enforcement professionals. Placing themselves in harm's way to protect the helpless civilians stopped on I-35 was heroic,” Prater wrote in the letter.