Tulsa reserve deputy apologizes to victim’s family on the ‘Today’ show

Robert Bates appeared on the “Today” show Friday to apologize for the fatal shooting of an unarmed man earlier this month.

Reserve Deputy Robert Bates is shown in this undated handout photo provided by the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office in Tulsa, Okla. (Handout via Reuters)
Reserve Deputy Robert Bates is shown in this undated handout photo provided by the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office in Tulsa, Okla. (Handout via Reuters)

“First and foremost, let me apologize to the family of Eric Harris,” Bates said in his first public appearance since the April 2 shooting. “[I] had no desire to ever take anyone’s life.”

The 73-year-old surrendered on a manslaughter charge earlier this week following the release and subsequent circulation of a body camera video that captured the encounter that resulted in Harris’ death. Bates, a volunteer reserve deputy with the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, was trying to help other deputies struggling to arrest 44-year-old Harris, who had run away after selling a gun to undercover cops.
Bates has maintained that he intended to use his Taser on the unarmed suspect, not realizing until the shots were fired, that he’d accidentally grabbed his revolver instead.

“This has happened a number of times around the country, I have read about it in the past,” he said Friday. “I thought to myself after reading several cases, ‘I don’t understand how this can happen.’ You must believe me, it can happen to anyone.”

Flanked by his attorney, wife, and two daughters, Bates said that that the fatal shooting was “the second worse thing to ever happen to me — or first,” explaining that he was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago and wasn’t sure he’d make it.

Eric Harris, left, poses with his son, Aidan Fraley. (Photo: Courtesy of Andre Harris/Smolen, Smolen & Roytman, PLLC via AP)
Eric Harris, left, poses with his son, Aidan Fraley. (Photo: Courtesy of Andre Harris/Smolen, Smolen & Roytman, PLLC via AP)

“Luckily, I was able to go to a hospital where I had hours of surgery,” Bates said. “I rate this No. 1 on my list of things in my life that I regret.”
A wealthy insurance executive by trade, Bates’ many generous donations to the sheriff’s department in the form of cash and equipment, such as police cars, have raised suspicions about his work as a reserve officer. Those suspicions were bolstered by a report in the Tulsa World this week alleging that Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office supervisors had been instructed to fudge Bates’ weapons certification and training records, allowing him to bypass the required 480 hours of field training to participate in the reserve program.

When asked on the “Today” show about the claims, Bates simply stated, “That is not correct.”