Cops charged with manslaughter for gunning down Quadry Sanders – who was only armed with a ball cap

On Friday, KSWO reported that two former Lawton, Oklahoma police officers will be charged with manslaughter in the shooting death of a Black man in December.

This comes as police body-camera footage of the incident is being released to the public for the first time.

"The two former LPD officers, Nathan Ronan and Robert Hinkle, were fired after shooting and killing Quadry Sanders on December, 5th 2021," reported Haley Wilson, Chase Scheuer, and Kevin Haggenmiller. "The medical examiner’s report said he was shot 12 times."

"The shooting happened near N.W. 18th St. and N.W. Lincoln Ave. after officers responded to reports of a protective order violation," the report continued. "The OSBI was called in to investigate the deadly shooting. Back in January, Lawton’s Police Chief, James Smith, released a statement saying body-camera footage would be released after the DA makes a decision."

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In a statement, Comanche County District Attorney Kyle Cabelka said that Sanders was unarmed when he was shot.

“Mr. Sanders was met underneath a carport by Officers Robert Hinkle and Nathan Ronan,” the statement explains. "Officer Hinkle begins telling Mr. Sanders ‘hands, hands’ as well as ‘down, down, down, down.’ Mr. Sanders hands are clearly seen and the only item visible in his hands is a ball cap, which he transfers from his right hand to his left hand. As he is receiving these orders, Mr. Sanders quickly turns back towards the front door of the home."

“Officers Hinkle and Ronan then walk closer to Mr. Sanders," Cabelka continued. "As Hinkle approaches, Mr. Sanders can be seen raising both of his hands in the air, above his head. At that time, Officer Hinkle shoots his firearm four times at Mr. Sanders. Mr. Sanders falls to the ground and appears to have been shot, at which time Officer Hinkle once again orders ‘hands, hands, hands,’ and to ‘quit reaching.’"

"Mr. Sanders sits up from his back with his hands above his head at which time Officer Hinkle fires his firearm seven additional times," Cabelka said. "Simultaneously with these shots, Officer Ronan also fires his weapon at Mr. Sanders four times.“

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The charges come after a number of high-profile criminal cases against police officers who killed suspects.

Such cases rarely tend to result in convictions, but last year two nationally-covered cases in Minnesota did: In Minneapolis, Derek Chauvin was sentenced to over 22 years for the murder of George Floyd after kneeling on his neck for nine minutes, and in Brooklyn Park, former police union official Kim Potter was sentenced to 16 months for shooting Daunte Wright while trying to deploy her stun gun.