OKC Police Release Bodycam Video Of 2019 Christmas Eve Deadly Officer-Involved Shooting

Oklahoma City police released body camera footage on Friday of a standoff and deadly officer-involved shooting from December 2019.

While families celebrated their Christmas Eve festivities, police responded to a potentially life-threatening situation in northeast Oklahoma City. Officers followed a red car to a Sonic near northeast 23^rd Street and Martin Luther King Boulevard.

Inside the car was an armed and intoxicated Elroy Barber, 60, holding the driver Rolana Keeler, 55, at gunpoint. Officer's body cameras were rolling as they confronted Barber in the parking lot. Sonic employees had to be evacuated due to the dangerous situation.

Officer: “Passenger put your hands up now! Right hand up! He’s got, I can’t see his right. I cannot see his right hand!”

As the officer inched closer to the car, he realized Barber was pointing a gun at the woman.  

Officer: “Hands out the window, hands up! Don’t do it, do not do it! Give us your hand! Don’t make this decision, do not do this sir!”

Barber continued to ignore their commands and stayed in the car. Police said the armed man continued to threaten to shoot Keeler and would not let her leave the car.

The TACT team came out and negotiated with Barber for several hours without success.

Officer: “Don’t do it sir! Do not make this decision today! He’s saying kill me guys.”

Officers knew they needed to take action as the standoff continued to escalate. TACT team members fired at Barber several times, killing him at the scene.

The woman in the car was hurt after being hit by bullet fragments from the officer's guns. She was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Police said the suspect never fired his gun.