A police officer in Baytown, Texas, has been put on paid leave after a cellphone video of him fatally shooting a black woman went viral on Tuesday. In the video, 44-year-old Pamela Turner can be seen in a verbal altercation with the unidentified officer in an apartment complex parking lot. She is heard telling him, “You’re actually harassing me,” before he tases her and she falls to the ground. Moments later she yells out “I’m pregnant,” which is followed by five gunshots, killing Turner.
Police say the officer opened fire after Turner grabbed the Taser and used it against him. Police also say post-mortem examinations showed Pamela Turner was not pregnant. Family members have since told local media she suffered from mental health issues. The ACLU is calling for an independent investigation.