HollyMatkinTulsa, OK – Police have released bodycam footage of a fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred outside of a Tulsa hotel on Monday (video below).
The incident occurred outside the Extended Stay Hotel, approximately 30 seconds after Tulsa Police Department Gang Unit Officers Chris Beyerl and Shawn Hickey stopped to speak with several men who were sitting in a vehicle in the parking lot, Tulsa World reported.
The area was a known hub for drug trafficking and other criminal activity, police said, according to KOKI.
One of the men exited the vehicle and was seen standing outside one of the hotel room doors when Officer Hickey approached him on foot, KOTV reported.
“Do you stay here?” Officer Hickey asked the man.
“I just got a room,” he replied.
Meanwhile, Officer Beyerl approached the passenger side of the SUV, and tapped on the tinted window. He motioned for the person inside to roll down the window, but the occupant did not comply.
The officer then attempted to open the door, which was locked.
“Hey, how you doing , sir?” Officer Beyerl asked another passenger, as he made his way to the driver’s side of the vehicle. “You stay out here?”
“No, I’m just dropping him off,” the man said, as he stood outside the SUV, partially blocked by the open vehicle door.
“Let me see your hands, partner,” the officer said.
“Hey! Hey!” another voice said from inside the SUV.
Officer Beyerl immediately raised his weapon.
“What do you got?” he asked the remaining passenger, as the officer quickly reached forward and pushed the driver’s side door open so he could see inside.
“Hey!” the remaining passenger said again.
Tulsa Police Sergeant Richard Meulenberg said Officer Beyerl “could see that the front-seat passenger was armed with a gun, and it was pointed at him,” according to Tulsa World.
The officers then shot at the armed suspect, rapidly firing at the suspect, the bodycam footage showed.
Police said that the suspect also fired at Officer Beyerl during the exchange, KOTV reported.
Officer Beyerl then stepped backwards, and calmly sent notification of “shots fired” over the radio.
“Get on the ground!” he screamed at one of the passengers, who had casually walked to the opposite side of the lot during the gunfire.
He then turned his attention back to the suspect inside the vehicle.
“Hands! Let me see your hands right now!” he commanded.
“Don’t move,” he told his partner. “He’s still got the gun in his hand!”
The suspect, 26-year-old Albert Odom, was later pronounced dead at the scene, Tulsa World reported.
According to KOTV, Odom had previous convictions for drug-related offenses.
He had four active warrants for his arrest at the time of the gunfight, KJRH reported.
The other two vehicle occupants fled the area, but were later apprehended, police said.
Both officers have been placed on paid administrative leave, pending the Tulsa County District Attorney’s investigation into the officer-involved shooting.