Autopsy: Tulsa Pastor Shot By Troopers Tested Positive For Alcohol, Sedative

The autopsy report on a Tulsa pastor who was shot and killed during a confrontation with Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers has been released. 

Friday, July 17th 2015, 5:42 pm

By: Dee Duren


The autopsy report on a Tulsa pastor who was shot and killed during a confrontation with Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers has been released.

Nehemiah Blessed Fischer, 35, died of two gunshot wounds to the lower back, the medical examiner's report states.

Lab tests show he had alcohol and a sedative used for insomnia in his bloodstream.

Nehemiah Fischer and his brother Brandon were trying to move their truck from rising flood waters the night of May 29, 2015, at 221st Street and Memorial Road. Authorities responded to a stranded motorist call and repeatedly yelled at the two men to leave the truck in the water and get to higher ground. 

Dashcam video shows Nehemiah tackle one of the troopers. Two other troopers, Mark Southall and Michael Taylor, opened fire on him when they say he held the first trooper's head under the water.

6/25/2015 Related Story: OHP Releases Dashcam Video Of Fatal Shooting

The bullets entered Nehemiah's body in the lower back, the report states. 

The medical examiner's report notes that Fischer was in overall normal health, although a lab report shows he had between 0.13 and 0.14 blood alcohol. His brother reportedly admitted to officers they had been drinking while fishing that night.

His blood also tested positive for Zolpidem, the autopsy results state. That is a sedative prescribed for insomnia that is found in medications including Ambien. The amount is listed as 0.15 mcg/mL.

The medical examiner's description of Fischer's personal effects also notes he was wearing a gun holster on his right hip and had a magazine containing eight bullets in the pocket of his shorts. Troopers say Nehemiah had a gun on his hip when the confrontation and fatal shooting took place.

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