Shooting of Terence Crutcher

The shooting led to protests in Tulsa. Six days later, on September 22, the Tulsa County District Attorney charged Shelby with first-degree manslaughter after the shooting was labeled a homicide. On May 17, 2017, a jury found her not guilty of first-degree manslaughter.

On September 16, 2016, Terence Crutcher, a 40-year-old black motorist, was shot and killed by police officer Betty Jo Shelby in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was unarmed, standing near his vehicle in the middle of a street.

The officers involved in the incident at Tulsa, Oklahoma, on September 16, 2016, were Betty Shelby and Tyler Turnbough. Turnbough became an officer in 2009 and Shelby in 2011.

At 7:36 p.m. on September 16, 2016, police received a 9-1-1 call about an abandoned vehicle in the middle of 36th Street North just west of Lewis Avenue. One caller said: "Somebody left their vehicle running in the middle of the street with the doors wide open...The doors are open. The vehicle is still running. It's an SUV. It's like in the middle of the street. It's blocking traffic...There was a guy running from it, saying it was going to blow up. But I think he's smoking something. I got out and was like, 'Do you need help?' and he was like, 'Come here, come here, I think it's going to blow up.'" Another caller said: "There is a car that looks like somebody just jumped out of it and left it in the center of the road on 36th Street North and North Lewis Avenue...It's dead in the middle of the street...It's a Navigator. The driver-side door is open like somebody jumped out. It's on the yellow line, blocking traffic."

Police dashcam and helicopter video as well as the dispatch audio were released by police three days after the event on September 19, 2016. Tulsa Police Chief Chuck Jordan called the video "disturbing" and "difficult to watch". The officers involved were placed on paid administrative leave.

Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler charged Shelby with first-degree manslaughter. Shelby turned herself in at the Tulsa County Jail on the early morning of September 23, 2016, where she was booked, posted a bond of $50,000 and was released. Shelby was accused of "unlawfully and unnecessarily" shooting Crutcher. On May 17, 2017, a jury found Betty Shelby not guilty.

The Tulsa Police Department started a criminal investigation of the shooting. Homicide Sergeant Dave Walker stated that PCP had been recovered from Crutcher's car. Shelby's attorney had previously stated that she thought Crutcher might be under the influence of PCP based on what she learned during her drug-recognition training. Crutcher's father had stated in a 2012 affidavit that his son had a history of PCP use.

Terence Tafford Crutcher, Sr. (August 16, 1976 – September 16, 2016) was a 40-year-old man. Crutcher's twin sister, Dr. Tiffany Crutcher, described him as a father and said that at the time of his death he was enrolled to study music at Tulsa Community College. According to his sister, Crutcher was involved in his church and sang in the choir.