OKLAHOMA CITY — An Oklahoma City officer has been charged with second degree murder in connection to the fatal shooting of a suicidal man in November.
Court records filed Dec. 5 show that Oklahoma City Police Department Sgt. Keith Sweeney faces a complaint of murder in the second degree or the alternative of manslaughter in the first degree.
The charge comes in connection to the Nov. 15 fatal shooting of 29-year-old Dustin Robert Pigeon.
According to police, officers responded to reports of a suicidal person around 2:40 a.m. in the courtyard of Parkview Village Homes, 1416 SW 20 Street. When officers arrived on-scene, they say Pigeon was holding a bottle of lighter fluid and threatening to light himself on fire. The officers attempted to get Pigeon to drop the lighter fluid and get on the ground, but he did not comply.
Court documents show that Officer Nitzky deployed a bean bag shotgun, striking Pigeon in the left hip. Sergeant Sweeney then discharged his weapon striking Pigeon multiple times.
Pigeon was provided medical attention but died on scene. The documents also state that Pigeon was not armed and “not a threat to the officers”.
Sweeney has been on paid administrative leave since the incident. District Attorney David Prater will host a press conference at 2:30 p.m. to discuss the incident. Body camera footage of the incident will also be released at this time.