TULSA Police shoot and kill chainsaw-wielding burglary suspect

Wednesday, June 6th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

For the second time this year, Tulsa Police are investigating officers involved in a fatal shooting. Early Wednesday morning, police shot and killed a chainsaw-wielding burglary suspect.

KOTV's Tami Marler says a father; mother and their child were asleep in the house you when they heard noises in the garage. They immediately called 911. They told me off-camera; they were impressed with how quickly police responded. Piair Cain, Neighbor: "I heard the dogs barking, so I kind of looked out the bedroom window, and I saw the police they had the house surrounded." Piair Cain says he heard much of went on at his neighbor's home in the early morning hours. He knew there was an intruder inside, and that police yelled repeatedly to drop his weapons. "They told him to lay down on the ground and put his hands up at least four or five times. And he wouldn't." But police say 50-year-old Robert Johnson was armed. The officers considered him dangerous.

Tulsa Police Sgt. Wayne Allen: "The suspect is carrying a chainsaw, the chainsaw is not on, but he does have it in his hands and refuses to drop it, at which point the officers fire approximately six rounds at the suspect. He falls in the kitchen and is eventually pronounced dead at that location." In the light of day, some questioned whether six shots were excessive for a man carrying a chain saw that wasn't running. Those are questions both the district attorney and a police deadly force committee will consider as they investigate whether Officers Dave Hickman and Leigh Busey were in fear for themselves or other victims. It was the first shooting incident for both officers.

Police say Johnson's wife Andrea was seen outside the house when police arrived. She was later arrested and charged with first-degree burglary. One interesting note, police confronted the couple last month at an East Tulsa motel. Tulsa Police reports indicate the two made statements that suggest mental problems. The coupleâ€™s 4 1/2-year-old daughter is in DHS custody.