‘I wanted to die’

By John Dobberstein, Editor

Broken Arrow police released bodycam footage of the officer-involved shooting that left a Broken Arrow man dead Sunday.

The video, posted to the Broken Arrow Police Department’s Facebook page, shows an officer pulling over 54-year-old Troy Anspaw’s white pickup truck near the intersection of Willow Springs Court and Pensacola Court in south Broken Arrow, near the Indian Springs Sports Complex. The stop occurred at about 8 p.m.

The officer on the video opens his door and tells Anspaw to put his hands out the window.

“Troy we just wanna talk. Get your hands out the window. You’re not in trouble,” the unidentified officer says.

Shortly after, Anspaw emerges from his truck with a small pistol in his right hand. The officer yells, “Get that gun out of your hand!” and then Anspaw appears to raise his arm and point the gun at police. The officers quickly fired two volleys of shots towards Anspaw, who fell to the ground near his truck. The handgun can be seen on the ground next to him.

As Anspaw was laying on the ground moaning, officers slowly approached him, one of them yelling at him to “get away from the gun.”

Anspaw says, “Please kill me,” and an officer says, “Get your hands up!”

After the officers determine there is no threat, one of them goes to retrieve a medical bag from his patrol car, returns to Anspaw and says, “Troy stay with me.”

“What in the hell you thinking pointing that gun at us?” an officer asks.

“I wanted to die,” Anspaw replied.

Anspaw was taken to a local hospital, where he died from injuries due to the shooting. The Broken Arrow Police Department said three officers have been placed on administrative leave while an investigation of the shooting continues. Due to Anspaw being a tribal citizen the FBI is helping with the probe.

Police have not stated yet whether Anspaw fired any shots, or what the nature of the 911 call was that led them to stop Anspaw’s truck.