TUCSON, Arizona — A former Tucson police officer accused of fatally shooting a man in a motorized wheelchair last year has been charged with manslaughter, authorities said Thursday.
Pima County Attorney Laura Conover announced the charge against Ryan Remington on Thursday. The Tucson Police Department fired Remington on Nov. 30, 2021 — the day after the shooting occurred.
that former Tucson police Officer Ryan Remington will be charged with manslaughter after shooting a man in a motorized wheelchair nine times in November 2021, at a Lowe’s in Tucson.
The fatal shooting took place at a Lowe’s parking lot on Nov. 29, 2021, Tucson police said. Remington was responding to a shoplifting call at a nearby Walmart, where he was working off-duty as a security guard.
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An employee told police that when they asked the shoplifting suspect, identified by authorities as Richard Lee Richards, to show a receipt for the toolbox he was suspected of taking, he pulled out a knife and told the employee, “Here’s your receipt.”
Richards then traveled to a Lowe’s store across the parking lot in his motorized wheelchair, police said. Tucson police released body camera footage showing Remington following Richards across the parking lot as he called for backup, saying Richards “pulled a knife on me.”
Officer Stephanie Taylor responded to the scene as well. After both officers told Richards not to enter the Lowe’s, Remington fired his gun nine times into Richards’ back and side, causing Richards to immediately fall from his chair, surveillance video shows. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
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“It has been a long and difficult past nine months for Mr. Richards’s family, but they are relieved that former Officer Ryan Remington has been indicted and will face the prospect of justice for the shooting and killing of Mr. Richards,” Rick Resch, an attorney representing Richards’ family, said in a statement.
John Bradley, another attorney representing Richards’ family, said the family will proceed with a civil rights lawsuit against Remington in the coming weeks.
Remington’s attorney Mike Storie told the Associated Press his client was looking forward to an unbiased jury considering the case. Storie did not immediately respond to a USA TODAY request for comment.
At a Thursday news conference, Conover said Remington would appear in court next week.
Conover said the County Attorney’s Office wanted to take the proper time to decide to charge Remington with manslaughter, saying the office did it “right and not rushed.”
“We took the time we needed to get it right,” Conover said.
Follow Sam Burdette on Twitter @SuperSafetySam.
Contributing: The Associated Press