Law enforcement officers to gather in support of Officer Betty Shelby

TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) -- A group of law enforcement officers is gathering in Tulsa Tuesday to stand in solidarity with Officer Betty Shelby.

The regional law enforcement officers will meet at Hunter Park in Tulsa "to show solidarity for our brothers and sisters in blue as Tulsa County's district attorney rushes to judgment against Tulsa Police Officer Betty Shelby, without [the] benefit of a full and complete investigation," according to a release to media.

VIDEO | Police chief: Terence Crutcher was unarmed when shot by officer

Shelby shot and killed Terence Crutcher on Sept. 16 while his car was stalled in the middle of a north Tulsa road. She was charged with first-degree manslaughter in the case, which is what the group of law enforcement officers says they are protesting.

"Please understand: This is not about race, and it is not about our black citizens and our law-enforcement community being at odds with each other. This is also not about whether or not Mr. Crutcher’s hands were in the air most of the time, whether or not he had a gun, whether or not there were drugs in his vehicle or his body, or whether or not Officer Shelby had a taser or knew that another officer had one ready to use," according to the release.

"This is about whether or not Officer Shelby believed that her safety or life was in danger when she shot Mr. Crutcher with her gun. That is the only issue because that is the standard for our law-enforcement community for using deadly force."

The gathering will run from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Hunter Park. Supporters of Officer Shelby are also holding a rally at 1 p.m. at the Tulsa County Courthouse.

Click here to read all of our coverage on the Terence Crutcher shooting.

You can read the entire statement regarding the regional officers' support for Officer Shelby below:

Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler has charged Tulsa Police Officer Betty Shelby with first-degree manslaughter in the death of Terence Crutcher.

First and foremost: Mr. Crutcher’s death is a very sad tragedy. Our hearts truly go out to his family members as they mourn the loss of his life, and we pray that his soul is in Heaven.

Please understand: This is not about race, and it is not about our black citizens and our law-enforcement community being at odds with each other. This is also not about whether or not Mr. Crutcher’s hands were in the air most of the time, whether or not he had a gun, whether or not there were drugs in his vehicle or his body, or whether or not Officer Shelby had a taser or knew that another officer had one ready to use.

This is about whether or not Officer Shelby believed that her safety or life was in danger when she shot Mr. Crutcher with her gun. That is the only issue because that is the standard for our law-enforcement community for using deadly force.

Mr. Kunzweiler himself acknowledges, through his chief investigator’s affidavit, that Mr. Crutcher “was mumbling to himself and would not answer any of Officer Shelby’s questions” and “kept putting his hands in his pockets” while “Officer Shelby kept telling him to show his hands”, that Mr. Crutcher, who “was wearing baggy clothing”, then “began walking towards the abandoned vehicle” while “not responding to any of Officer Shelby’s commands to stop” as “she […] pulled her duty weapon in the ready position and follow[ed] him to the vehicle” while “repeatedly” “yelling for him to stop and get on his knees”, and that Mr. Crutcher “continue[d] on [to] the driver’s side front door” and “reache[d] in the driver’s side front window” as another officer “fire[d] his [t]aser” while “Officer Shelby fire[d] one shot from her duty weapon” because “she was in fear of her life and thought that Mr. Crutcher was going to kill her”.

That is the definition of justified use of deadly force by a law-enforcement officer. If you want to see what can happen when a law-enforcement officer is confronted with exactly that scenario and does not respond in exactly that way, go to YouTube on the Internet, search for the name “Dinkheller”, and watch the very-disturbing dash-cam video.

Mr. Kunzweiler alleges, through his chief investigator’s affidavit, that Officer Shelby “reacted unreasonably by escalating the situation from a confrontation” and “bec[a]m[e] emotionally involved to the point that she over[-]reacted”. It was not Officer Shelby who escalated the situation, and to say that she became emotionally involved and that she overreacted is despicable. Mr. Kunzweiler: Shame on you for saying such a disgraceful thing. Shame on you for rushing to file a charge based only on your office’s “investigation” without even having the toxicology report. Shame on you for playing politics and cowardly bowing to national pressure.

By filing this charge against Officer Shelby, Mr. Kunzweiler is saying that it no longer matters whether or not our law-enforcement officers fear for their safeties or their lives. If Officer Shelby is convicted of this, then the law-enforcement officers who protect us from murderers and robbers and rapists can no longer use their guns without fearing that we will put them in prison. That is the reality; that is not being overly-dramatic. Is that the city – or the nation – in which we want to live?