Oklahoma
Oklahoma officer charged for slamming 71-year-old man onto ground in traffic stop
The Oklahoma City police officer who slammed a 71-year-old man onto the ground after a traffic stop has been charged with one count of aggravated assault and battery, the local district attorney announced Thursday.
Body camera footage from the Oct. 27, 2024 incident showed Sgt. Joseph Gibson stop Lich Vu, 71, for an illegal U-turn after a minor incident.
In the footage, Vu denied making U-turn, said his car was hit by another person and the officer asked him to sign the citation. Vu eventually got out of the car and the two got into a verbal argument that escalated.
Security video footage from a nearby business showed that Vu appeared to touch the officer’s arm and Gibson immediately grabbed Vu’s hand, pulled it behind his back and threw him onto the floor. The interaction happened within seconds and footage showed Vu hit the pavement headfirst.
Vu was hospitalized with significant injuries including an orbital fracture, neck fracture and brain bleed.
District Attorney Vicki Zemp Behenna said in a statement that her office takes “all use-of-force incidents very seriously” and “in this particular case determined the Officer’s actions were an unreasonable use-of-force.”
Under state law, an assault and battery is considered aggravated when great bodily injury is inflicted and when it’s committed by “a person of robust health or strength upon one who is aged, decrepit, or incapacitated.”
Oklahoma City police declined to comment Friday on the charge, but said Gibson remains on administrative leave.
If convicted by a jury, the range of punishment for aggravated assault and battery is zero to five years in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections or zero to one year in the Oklahoma County Detention Center and/or a fine of up to $500.
The incident sparked outrage among the Vietnamese community.
“I feel like this is the due process of justice in its best form,” Thuan Nguyen, the President-Elect for the Vietnamese American Community of Oklahoma, told NBC affiliate KFOR, on the officer charge.
Nguyen said that he’s stayed in touch with the Vu family and he is now at home, but is still recovering.
“Still in a lot of state of confusion,” Nguyen said. “I do know that he may not be able to walk again.”
The Oklahoma City Fraternal Order of Police said Thursday it stands in support of Gibson, who they allege “handled this call for service with professionalism.”
“It is very disappointing to see a police officer face felony charges for actions taken in good faith while serving in the line of duty. Sgt. Gibson followed his de-escalation training and protocol when assaulted,” President Mark Nelson said in a statement. “We recognize the injuries that Mr. Vu sustained, and we are sympathetic to him and his family. However, we believe strongly that every detail of this incident matters and needs to be considered.”
“We are deeply concerned about the impact this charging decision will have on the ability of officers to rely on their training and professional judgment to preserve order and protect the public,” the statement concluded.
Oklahoma
Woman hospitalized after house fire in northeast Oklahoma City
OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — Authorities say one woman was taken to the hospital following an early morning house fire in northeast Oklahoma City.
Around 5 a.m. on Wednesday, Oklahoma City firefighters were called to a house fire near N.E. 13th St. and Missouri.
When crews arrived, they found the victim on the front porch of the home.
“When they got off the rig and initiated offensive fire attack, found one victim on the front porch. Appeared she was maybe suffering from smoke inhalation. The fire was relatively small. It was contained to one bedroom in the back. The patient was transported, was treated here, and then transported to OU,” said Batt. Chief Brad Smith, with the Oklahoma City Fire Department.
Officials said the fire originated in the back of the house, in a back bedroom near the closet.
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However, the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Oklahoma
Bode Sparrow commits Friday: why BYU is Oklahoma’s biggest threat for the Davis star
Kaysville (Utah) Davis athlete Bode Sparrow cut his list to four back in May and has now locked in his commitment date.
Sparrow is a tremendous player on both sides of the ball and checks in as the No. 77 player nationally in the Rivals Industry Ranking, an equally weighted average that utilizes all three major recruiting services.
He will make his long awaited college choice this Friday, May 25 from a final four of BYU, Oklahoma, Oregon and Utah.
In handicapping this race, two schools jump out for us. The first is Oklahoma. I put a commit prediction in for the Sooners back in March and there was some buzz that he could commit around that time.
Sparrow decided to hold off making an early decision in order to take his official visits. Oklahoma was the first visit locked in and for awhile, the only visit that was set, giving even more credence to the Sooners being the team to beat.
“They really believe in me and have a vision for me there,” Sparrow told us after his official visit. “They show me so much love and I have such great relationships with the coaches there.
“I also really like the town of Norman and the plan in place for me from a safety/scheme standpoint. They really have everything I’m looking for in a school. Brent Venables is great, a defensive minded head coach and I just love the all around fit.”
Sparrow followed up his visit to OU with trips to Oregon, Utah and BYU. The Ducks made a big impression and should be considered a dark horse. They are easily one of the toughest schools to recruit against and it would surprise no one if Sparrow ends in Eugene.
Saying that, the school that is gaining a lot of momentum and looks to be Oklahoma’s biggest challenger is BYU. For months we talked to some close to Sparrow, college coaches and trainers who all said the same thing, ‘don’t rule out BYU in the end.’
No one has recruited Sparrow longer than the Cougs. He has been on campus more than any other school, he’s strong in his LDS faith and he has a great connection with the BYU staff including head coach Kalani Sitake.
BYU was able to get the final visit over the weekend and there is some quiet confidence in Provo as well as from a few other recruits/commits who were also on the visit. With the church connection, we’ve long said in a head to head battle, BYU is very tough to beat, especially for an in-state player.
Saying that, there are still Sooner commits we’ve talked to convinced Sparrow is still headed to Norman. That’s why this recruitment has become one of the more fascinating ones to follow this cycle, it’s one of those rare instances where days away from a decision, it could still go in multiple directions.
For now, my commit prediction remains on Oklahoma but BYU is closing fast and this one close to a toss up with a decision quickly approaching.
Oklahoma
OHP remembers K-9 for protecting countless lives during career
OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — Officials with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol are remembering a dedicated K-9 officer who passed away earlier this month.
K-9 Dak was born in 2014 and began serving with the OHP in 2015.
Throughout his distinguished career, officials say Dak’s exceptional instincts made a significant impact on public safety across the state.
During his career, Dak was instrumental in the seizure of over 2,000 pounds of marijuana, 46 pounds of cocaine, 151 pounds of methamphetamine, and 99 pounds of fentanyl.
“These remarkable accomplishments represent countless lives protected and communities made safer through Dak’s service,” OHP wrote.
Dak worked his final shift on June 3 before peacefully passing away from natural causes on June 7.
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“More than his statistics and accomplishments, Dak was a loyal partner, trusted teammate, and beloved member of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. His legacy will live on through the work he accomplished, the bond he shared with his handler, and the many lives he touched throughout his career,” OHP said.
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