Dash cam video shows moments surrounding deadly shooting of a woman by OK officer
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BLACKWELL, OK (KFOR ) — Dash camera video from a fatal shooting back in May now shows the moments leading up to, during, and after a woman was killed as she fled officers. The officer who did the shooting has been indicted for second-degree murder.
Lt. John Mitchell was indicted by a grand jury in November for the shooting death of Michael Ann Godsey.
The dash camera video shows a Blackwell officer called to a report of shots fired. When he gets to the scene, he finds a woman in a car speaking to Godsey. The unnamed woman tells the officer Godsey is armed and was the one firing gunshots, even threatening to shoot her.
The officer orders Godsey to lower her gun, but Godsey refuses, instead ordering him to get back into his vehicle and leave her alone.
The officer tries to reason with her, but Godsey fires her weapon instead several times, then gets into the truck and drives off.
That’s when the chase gets underway, several more officers responding. The initial officer heard saying on his dashcam video that Godsey is continuing to fire her gun.
Lt. Mitchell catches up to her truck and fires his gun at her out his window, accidentally shooting through his windshield at one point.
Finally, her truck slows to a near stop. That’s when Lt. Mitchell is seen exiting his vehicle and unloading his rifle into the truck, then tossing it away and using his pistol.
When he stops, he is heard saying Godsey may have been hit. When the officers check on her, they discover she’s agonal, having difficulty breathing. She later died.
Afterward, Lt. Mitchell is heard telling officers not to talk to each other, the OSBI, or anyone about the incident until they’ve had rest.
In response to the video, the Fraternal Order of Police released a statement, saying Lt. Mitchell “was justified in his use of force.” The FOP pointed out that the officer was reporting to a shots fired call, saying Godsey shot and hit multiple targets around town, and endangered civilians and police.
The FOP also said the FBI and the International Association of Chiefs of Police recommend that officers delay personal interviews on shooting incidents so that they have “sufficient recovery time to help enhance recall.”
According to the Kay County Court Clerk, a preliminary hearing for Lt. Mitchell has not yet been set.
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