The Oklahoma County district attorney e-mailed letters to the Oklahoma City’s police chief clearing three officers from wrongdoing in two separate shootings, including a hostage incident at the Oklahoma County Jail in March.
Officers Coy Gilbert and Kevin Kuhlman, according to Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater’s e-mail, shot and killed Curtis Montrell Williams, who can be seen on bodycam footage holding a makeshift knife to a jail officer’s neck, on March 27. the prosecuting attorney told Chief Wade Gourley in an e-mail the investigation of Officers Gilbert and Kuhlman was “comprehensive and well done,” and that the officers actions were commendable.
“It is abundantly clear from the evidence that had not Gilbert and Kuhlman reacted quickly, Misquez was likely to have suffered great bodily harm or death at the hands of Williams,” District Attorney Prater said in the e-mail.
The prosecuting attorney recently charged five inmates in Mr. Williams’ death due to their involvement in the hostage-taking.
The second shooting involved officer Samuel Flowers on May 1, in which the officer’s patrol car was struck several times by another car driven by Quinton Pace.
According to District Attorney Prater’s e-mail to Chief Gourley, Mr. Pace communicated prior to the incident he would be “out hunting police officers to kill them.”
Mr. Pace struck Officer Flowers’ car several times, disabling the officer’s vehicle and trapping him inside the squad car, the e-mail said.
Mr. Pace then exited his car and began firing at Officer Flowers-, the e-mail went on.
Officer Flowers returned fire and Mr. Pace was taken to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries before being taken into custody, the e-mail continued.
“Throughout the attack, Officer Flowers did an outstanding job keeping his head and responding in a manner that very likely saved his own life,” District Attorney Prater said in the e-mail.
“His actions were completely lawful and necessary.”
The prosecuting attorney told the police chief all three officers cleared for duty and the police department said they are in the process of being reinstated.
