Chief: Officers followed law, policy in fatal shooting
Oakridger
Oak Ridge Police Chief Robin Smith told City Council this week that the officers who shot and killed city resident Fred Arcera acted in self defense and did not violate the law or ORPD policy.
“What they did was within policy and within (the) law,” Smith said referring to Oak Ridge Police Department policy. He said the policy part was the ORPD’s to determine, while the law part was up to Anderson County District Attorney General David Clark.
“The officers were in imminent danger as Mr. Arcera moved toward them with his knives,” Smith told Council at its Monday work session. He said his report to Council was based on the report by Clark and information from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Council to discuss fatal shooting, coronavirus
Oakridger
Oak Ridge Police Department Chief Robin Smith will talk to City Council about the fatal shooting of Oak Ridge resident Fred Arcera.
It will be part of Oak Ridge City Council’s work session on Tuesday, Feb. 16, which will include briefings and discussions but no votes.
The meeting is virtual and will begin at 6 p.m. It will be streamed on the city’s website, http://oakridgetn.gov/online/streaming. A recording will be available later on the city website.
ORPD Officers Jeremy Phillips, Joseph Gibson and Corey Fritz shot and killed 41-year-old Arcera last August, Anderson County District Attorney General David Clark stated in a report last week. However, he stated in that same report that he won’t be pressing charges against the officers. He indicated the officers were justified because Arcera had two knives and tried to attack them.
DA: Officers justified in killing man
Oakridger
Anderson County District Attorney General David Clark won t be prosecuting the Oak Ridge Police Department officers who shot Oak Ridge resident Fred Arcera, 41, last August.
In his report Monday, Clark stated the officers acted in self defense against Arcera who Clark said had two knives and had tried to attack the officers.
“Police officers are individuals that we trust and invest with special legal authority, including the authority to use force. That force may include lethal force under limited circumstances,” he said in the report.
In the report, Clark also expressed sympathy for Arcera, who he said was a military veteran and suffered from mental health issues.
Oak Ridge Today
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Seventh Judicial District Attorney General Dave Clark released his report about the police shooting on Monday morning.
The report said that the man who died in the shooting, Fred J. Arcera, 25, was a U.S. Army veteran who had mental health problems and was reported to be suicidal telling officers to kill him and he had large butcher knives and had threatened officers, moving toward them with the knives that Saturday night.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation investigated the shooting, which is common after law enforcement officers fatally shoot someone.
Clark’s report is below. See Arcera’s obituary here.