In August, 2014, police in Beavercreek, Ohio responded to a 911 call about a shopper threatening people with an assault rifle in a local Walmart. John Crawford was that shopper. He was carrying an Air Soft gun he picked up in the store and security video shows that he was not acting aggressively, but behaving normally, browsing through the store. The police, having been alerted of threatening behavior, arrived on the scene and shot and killed John Crawford within seconds.
According to an article on Huffington Post, Ronald T. Richie, the man who called 911 on John Crawford may face charges related to misleading the police in during the call. Unfortunately, the charges amount to a wrist slap and it’s still up to prosecutors whether or not to even pursue them.
Ritchie faces a potential charge of making false alarms for reporting threatening behavior that appears to have been misleading to police. The first-degree misdemeanor carries a maximum of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. It is now up to prosecutors to decide whether to officially indict Ritchie…
Root also ruled there was not probable cause to bring charges against Ritchie for inciting violence, inducing panic, involuntary manslaughter or reckless homicide.
I disagree with the judge, I believe there was certainly probable cause to bring charges for, at the very least, inciting violence and inducing panic.
Here is the 911 call audio synched with the store’s security video:
The call begins at about 13 seconds in. Crawford is shot at about 5 minutes into the video. Anyone who wishes not to view the shooting should stop the video before then.