Tulsa DA Rules Shooting Justified

Tulsa's most recent police shooting of a suspect has been ruled as justifiable. Tulsa County District attorney Tim Harris said Wednesday morning he will not file criminal charges against Tulsa Police

Wednesday, July 12th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Tulsa's most recent police shooting of a suspect has been ruled as justifiable. Tulsa County District attorney Tim Harris said Wednesday morning he will not file criminal charges against Tulsa Police Officer Darren Glanz.

Glanz answered a domestic violence call Saturday night. He says he heard a woman screaming hysterically and begging for help. Glanz says he saw Beroldo Lovaton carrying a 12 inch long butcher knife. The officer said he yelled â€œstopâ€ in English and in Spanish several times. Glanz didn't shoot when Lovaton approached him, but he did shoot when Lovaton went into the apartment where the woman was screaming. The woman was Lovaton's wife. Lovaton died from the bullet wound.

Harris says these are some of the reasons affecting his decision to call this shooting justified. Harris says he believed Lovaton understood the situation because the victim had lived in the U-S for several years. He understood some English and had been in contact with police officers before, so he recognized a police uniform.

Witnesses admit Lovaton had been drinking alcohol for some 10 hours before the incident. Officer Glanz believed the woman's life was in immediate peril. Lovaton was holding a deadly weapon in a menacing way and at one point came within seven feet of Glanz.

The police department's internal affairs investigation continues. Glanz will probably be back to work soon. Presently, he is on routine suspension.