Oklahoma County DA Releases Evidence From OKC Police Sergeant’s Murder Trial

The Oklahoma County district attorney released evidence on Tuesday that had only been seen during an Oklahoma City police sergeant's murder trial. The jury reviewed the evidence as part of their decision to convict Sergeant Keith Sweeney. He was escorted

Tuesday, November 5th 2019, 6:18 pm

By: News 9


The Oklahoma County district attorney released evidence on Tuesday that had only been seen during an Oklahoma City police sergeant's murder trial. 

The jury reviewed the evidence as part of their decision to convict Sergeant Keith Sweeney. He was escorted to the Oklahoma County Jail after the verdict was read.

Read Related Story: Jury Finds OKC Police Sergeant Guilty Of Second-Degree Murder, Recommends 10-Year Sentence

The jury was not convinced from Sweeney’s statements he made to homicide investigators after the shooting.

The evidence released only to News 9 was Sweeney’s recorded interview held five days after the deadly shooting.

Two attorneys were there as Sweeney recalled the moments leading up to the deadly shooting of 29-year-old Dustin Pigeon. He said he knew Pigeon was suicidal and two officers were en route before he put himself on the call.

Sweeney: “I look at him and in his right hand I see what I think is a knife. So, I give him commands also to put it down, to drop what he had in his hands.”

Sweeney said Pigeon then took an aggressive posture towards him.

Sweeney: “A split second later, it appears his right arm is coming forward where I had seen the weapon.”

Information that came out in the trial was that it was only 12 seconds from the time Sweeney arrived, to his first shot.

During that time, Officer Troy Nitzkey fired his bean bag shotgun once at the victim. Investigators also interviewed him after the shooting.

Nitzkey said he knew Pigeon had a lighter fluid and a lighter in his hands. He approached the situation with a less-lethal weapon.

Nitzkey: “I wracked my shotgun and that’s when he kind of starts, the bean bag shotgun, that’s when he really starts retreating from me.”

Nitzkey and the second officer on the scene testified that they never thought Pigeon was a threat to them.

Officer Erik Howell: “I don’t believe I ever had my gun drawn. I believe my hood on my retaining holster was down in case it came to that for me.”  

The jury recommended Sweeney serve 10 years in prison. His formal sentencing is set for December.

 

 

 

 

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