Oklahoma officers cleared in deadly shootout following Kilpatrick Turnpike pursuit
More than a dozen officers have been cleared in the death of an armed robbery suspect who led authorities on a vehicle pursuit in April that shut down the Turner Turnpike and ended with a shootout.
On April 2, police in Sedona, Arizona, contacted the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and said Charles Carswell, 32, was suspected of armed robbery and believed to be traveling in a black Jeep Grand Wagoneer through Oklahoma City on his way to Ohio.
OHP troopers observed Carswell driving the black SUV with Ohio tags eastbound on I-40 near Council Road.
Troopers attempted a traffic stop, but Carswell fled, prompting a pursuit, authorities said.
When the pursuit entered the Kilpatrick Turnpike, Carswell began firing shots at troopers through his rear window, authorities said. Troopers made several unsuccessful attempts to perform a tactical vehicle intervention or TVI — to stop Carswell’s vehicle.
Authorities said as Carswell fired multiple times at OHP troopers, he almost struck an Oklahoma City police motorcycle officer who was on a traffic stop as the pursuit passed him.
Troopers successfully performed a TVI on Carswell’s vehicle in the eastbound lanes of the Turner Turnpike near Post Road.
After the pursuit ended, Carswell exited his vehicle, grabbed a rifle and began firing more rounds at law enforcement. He barricaded himself behind his vehicle until the OHP Tactical Team arrived, authorities said.
The Oklahoma City Police Department, as well as the Oklahoma County sheriff's office, assisted with the incident.
Carswell continued to fire at law enforcement, and troopers fired back, killing him.
“Carswell had no regard for the lives of law enforcement officers or citizens,” Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater wrote in a July 22 email to top law enforcement officials. “Carswell demonstrated an imminent threat to the safety of everyone on the highway that day. He could have seriously injured or killed numerous innocent people.”
Prater’s email was to Oklahoma Department of Public Safety Commissioner Tim Tipton, OHP Col. Patrick F. Mays and Oklahoma City Police Chief Wade Gourley.
In the email, Prater wrote that all troopers and officers involved in the incident, including nine OHP troopers and four Oklahoma City police officers who used deadly force, were cleared for duty.
Prater wrote that he reviewed incident investigations by OHP and the Oklahoma City Police Department.
Carswell resisted de-escalation tactics and attempts to negotiate with him, and made “one last attempt to shoot officers,” Prater wrote.
“While on the ground after being injured by gunfire, he chose to leap from his prone position and attempt to retrieve his AK-47 pistol,” Prater wrote. “Carswell was able to make it to his weapon, but fortunately officers who were near carefully positioned armored vehicles were able to deploy deadly force to neutralize Carswell before he could control the weapon.”
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma officers cleared in deadly shootout after turnpike pursuit
