Broken Arrow Police Officer On Leave Following Fatal Shooting

NewsOn6.com

BROKEN ARROW, OK -- Police have identified the officer who shot and killed a 29-year-old Broken Arrow man late Tuesday night. 

The officer's name is Stephen Garrett.  The department says he's been on the force for almost eight years.

Police say officers were called to a home at 36th Street and 209th East Avenue shortly after 11:30 p.m. on a report of a two people fighting in the front yard. 

Police say it all happened very quickly, but say Officer Garrett felt his life was in danger.  

Broken Arrow Police Major Carole Newell says the couple was in the front yard of the home, fighting and screaming so loudly it caused one of the neighbors to call police. 

"He thought perhaps a collision had occurred out in the roadway.  He went outside and when he did, he saw his neighbors fighting, arguing, a woman down on the ground.  He got on the phone and called 911," said Broken Police Major Carole Newell. 

Officer Garrett arrived on scene shortly after the call.  Police say a resident of the home, Nathan Samuel, came outside and approached the Garrett with a knife in his hand. 

"The male approached the officer from inside the house, came outside, had a knife in his hand.  Did not comply with the officer's commands to put the knife down and the officer felt his life and the lives of those with him were threatened, so he shot one time and the suspect is deceased," said Major Newell. 

Officer Garrett was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into the incident.  

Broken Arrow Police say this type of leave is standard any time an officer uses deadly force. 

"We never like for things like this to happen in such a way that deadly force has to be used.  Like I said, it's not frequent, but it has happened," said Major Carole Newell. 

Garrett was the only police officer on the scene when the shooting happened.