The Arizona cop who shot Loreal Tsingine, a Native American woman holding a tiny pair of scissors, quit after a meeting in which he was confronted about the results of an external investigation regarding the fatal shooting.
Winslow police officer Austin Shipley’s resignation is effective immediately, according to the Arizona Daily Sun.
A Pair Of Medical Scissors Similar To The Pair Loreal Tsingine Can Be Seen Holding Before She Was Shot.
On March 27, Shipley responded to a call in which a person matching the description of the 27-year-old Native American mother had shoplifted a case of beer.
Shipley ended up shooting Tsingine five times in the chest.
Body cam footage shows Shipley approaching Tsingine, making contact with her, although she doesn’t have a case of beer.
Shipley’s report states he attempted to take Tsingine into custody, but that she resisted and threatened him with scissors, causing the 6-foot, 210 pound officer to fear for his life.
But the body cam footage, which can be seen below, actually shows Austin Shipley manhandling then shoving Tsingine before she pulls out a pair of medical scissors, which her family says she used to trim the split ends of her hair.
Tsingine’s purse falls on the ground as she is shoved and her anti-psychotic medication spills.
Tsingine gets up and begins walking towards Shipley with the scissors pointed downward.
Shipley then draws his gun and shoot Tsingine five times in the chest.
An external investigation conducted by the Mesa Police Department concluded last week. Christopher Vasquez, the interim director of the Winslow Police Department, reviewed the results.
On Monday, Vasquez met with Shipley who made the decision to immediately resign.
He won several awards during his three-year tenure at the department, but was also disciplined a couple of times for excessive force and making inappropriate comments to a woman.
Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery announced his office “found no evidence of criminal conduct” against officer Shipley.
Shipley’s resignation comes just days after community members held a vigil at Mesa church aimed at applying pressure to the Department of Justice, which has agreed to conduct a federal investigation into Tsingine’s death.
The vigil was held by Bordertown Justice Coalition, a group that sprang up after Tsingine’s death, and hosted by Pastor Andre Miller who put a panel together to bring community members face-to-face with representatives of law enforcement, according to AZCentral.
“We need to have a discussion about these recent shootings and the current status of our relations,” said Miller.
“We can’t go back in time and change things that have already happened. But we can sit together and talk — speak with those who can make a difference so that we can take the practical steps to stop a Native American woman being shot by an officer, or a black man getting killed.”
Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, former East Valley NAACP President Dr. Helen Hunter, Apostle Dr. Paula Hines of RPH Ministries, Tempe Police Chief Sylvia Moir and Mesa police and Arizona Department of Public Safety representatives were among those expected to attend, said Miller.
Native Americans represent about 4 percent of Arizona’s population.
