Cop Shoots Man During Stop, But It’s What He Was Seen on Video Doing After That’s Getting Attention

Video emerged this week showing a Montana officer breakdown in tears after fatally shooting an unarmed man high on methamphetamine during a traffic stop.

The footage was posted online following a jury clearing Billings Police Officer Grant Morrison of any wrongdoing in the incident that led to the death of 38-year-old Richard Ramirez.

"I thought he was gonna pull a gun on me," Morrison said as he sobbed in the aftermath of the shooting.

[sharequote align="right"]"I thought he was gonna pull a gun on me."[/sharequote]

"Maybe he was, maybe he was," another officer replied as he consoled him. "Jesus, Grant. You survived."

The five-year police veteran said he became convinced that Ramirez had a gun after the man reached for his waistband during their 30-second encounter last April in a high-crime area of Montana's most populous city.

"I knew in that moment, which later was determined to be untrue, but I knew in that moment that he was reaching for a gun," Morrison said. "I couldn't take that risk. ... I wanted to see my son grow up."

The seven-person jury deliberated about an hour before delivering its decision to clear Morrison of any wrongdoing.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

(H/T: Mediaite/Daily Dot)

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