A Eugene Police officer shot a suspect who charged him with a knife Nov. 30 in Oregon. The suspect, identified as Muhsin Sharif, ignored multiple commands to “drop the knife,” then made an aggressive advance on the officer, prompting the shooting.
The Muhsin Sharif Shooting
Recently released officer body cam footage shows the incident in detail. The Lane County District Attorney’s Office released the footage as it proclaimed the officer’s action a lawful use of force, according to The Register-Guard.
“Based upon the interviews of the eye and ear witnesses, and the video evidence, the use of deadly force by Officers Trullinger and Rankin was a lawful response to the use of deadly force by Muhsin Sharif against the officers,” said District Attorney Patty Perlow told The Register-Guard. “Sharif was closing in on Officer Trullinger with the knife raised when both officers fired their weapons.”
Sharif’s attorney, Brian Michaels, viewed the footage. Despite the overwhelming evidence, he categorized the shooting emblematic as part of a systemic problem in law enforcement.
“If they tased him to get him to drop the knife after they shot him, why didn’t they tase him to get him to drop the knife before they shot him?” Michaels told The Register-Guard. “This kind of lethal force is an epidemic around the county.”
The incident began when police responded to a call for help. A victim reportedly sent a text message alleging “He beat me up. He’s here,” reported the Register-Guard. The woman was a recent victim from a previous incident, when Sharif violated a restraining order.
Police then found Sharif, and the suspect attempted to fee. He reportedly yelled “I will kill you” during the chase while armed with a knife, reported The Register-Guard. Footage shows Eugene Police finally corner the suspect, leading to his attempted attack and the shooting.
Sharif took rounds to the upper left chest and left hip. Still holding the knife when he went down, officers used a Taser to then subdue the suspect. Officials transported Sharif to a local hospital for treatment. He now faces four felony charges, including allegedly strangling a woman, reported The Register-Guard.
