Son's plea for father's life ends in fatal police shooting in SW OKC

A son is speaking up after witnessing four Oklahoma City rookie officers shoot and kill his father Monday morning. The son called police for help, reporting his father was attempting suicide. 

Korey Johnson is adamant his father, 41-year-old Eddie Hill, did not have a knife or weapon in his hands. Johnson claimed police started shooting only seconds after his father ran out of their southwest Oklahoma City home.

An already tense situation.

“I was trying to save his life,” said Korey Johnson, a witness. “I caught him in the act; I took the belt from around his neck.”

Turned into a tragedy in front of the 22-year-old. 

“Everything I was doing was so he can go get help, you know?,” said Johnson.

Johnson said his father was experiencing a mental health crisis when police said Hill charged at them with a knife, ignoring commands to drop the weapon. Johnson did not recall the incident happening that way. 

“I know what I seen and I know my daddy had no weapon,” said Johnson. “If they ever release that body camera video, you’re going to see him running out of the house like this toward the officers and boom shots fired. No warnings, no nothing.”

Johnson said the officers did not attempt to de-escalate the situation or use less-lethal options. Police said the officers involved in the deadly shooting have two years or less of experience on the streets.

“They didn’t try to aid him or nothing,” said Johnson. “They were all sitting around laughing, joking like somebody’s life wasn’t on the line right there.”

Johnson is worried the community is at risk and wants his father's death to help others.

“I’m gonna do everything I gotta do for you bro,” said Johnson. “No matter how bad this hurts me.”

This is the second tragedy Johnson's family is coping with. He lost his 72-year-old grandmother three years ago in a hit-and-run crash.

OCPD department officials did not respond to Hill's family's allegations that the shooting was not justified. It will be up to the Oklahoma County District Attorney's office to determine if charges are warranted.

Hill’s family has started a GoFundMe to help pay his funeral expenses.