Friends, Neighbors Speak Out After Deadly Officer-Involved Shooting In SW OKC

<span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:16px">Oklahoma City police are investigating the circumstances behind the city&#39;s latest officer-involved shooting.</span>

Monday, July 6th 2015, 5:41 pm

By: News 9


Oklahoma City police are investigating the circumstances behind the city's latest officer-involved shooting.

It happened just before 2 a.m. Monday, near the intersection of SW 47th and Independence. That's where police shot and killed a 20-year-old man who they say was holding a gun.

Police identify that man as Tyler Rogers.

Officers responded to a 911 call from one homeowner who said a man was trying to break into their car, which was parked on the curb in front of their home, and when the homeowners came out to confront him they say he took off running across the street. The homeowners also told police the man had a gun.

When officers arrived to the scene they found Rogers hiding in a fenced -in backyard of a home in the 3300 block of SW 47th St. Police say Rogers pointed a gun at one of the responding officers and that's when the officer shot and killed him.

Those living next door had no idea what had happened until they saw it on the news. But say they did hear their dogs barking way before they heard the gunshots.

“They are the ones that started barking,” said 14-year-old Elizabeth Cano, who lives in the house next door to where the shooting took place. “We were wondering what it was, so we were like oh they are barking because someone is passing through here.”

7/6/2015 Related Story: OKC Police Officer Shoots, Kills Burglary Suspect

“I mean he was a good person,” said Joseph Fields, a friend of Rogers who lives nearby. “He was in a bad state of mind, and as far as I know he didn't have no (sic) bullets for the gun.”

Fields says he and his son, Joshua, are good friends with Rogers and his entire family.

They are devastated at the news that police shot and killed Rogers during Monday's early-morning confrontation.

“It’s sad that he went out like,” said Joshua Fields. “I didn't think he would ever do something like that. I mean, yeah, he has a history, and he's got a background, but I mean regardless of any of that, I never seen him do anything like that at all. I mean, we miss him and there ain’t (sic) no way to get him back.”

“I wish we would have been home,” said Joseph Fields. “If we had been home we might have been able to save him. It’s just sad. He was looking for a way out I guess.”

News 9 checked and Rogers had a handful of run-ins with the law, mostly for drug and alcohol related offenses. The Fields say he had recently been showing signs of depression.

It will be up to the district attorney's office to determine if the officer's use of force was justified in this case. Until the investigation is over, that officer will be on routine administrative leave with pay.

Police say the officer is a 16-year veteran with the force.

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