MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Authorities have released audio files recorded the night former Memphis Police Officer Connor Schilling shot and killed Darrius Stewart.
Schilling said he shot Stewart in self-defense.
Officer Schilling can be heard talking with dispatch in the first two real-time recordings.
In one of the recordings, the dispatcher can be heard asking for the suspect’s name to which the officer gives Stewart’s name.
“Standby. Is your radio secure?” the dispatcher asked.
“Check.”
“He has two. One out of Decatur, Illinois. It’s for a failure to appear. It’s a juvenile delinquent case. It says under miscellaneous I have to send them a hit confirmation. I also have to send a hit confirmation to Iowa. They have one for full extradition. The offense is juvenile absconder while on probation, and he has a warrant for a sexual abuse in the second degree.”
Several minutes later, the dispatcher comes back on the radio and says “OK. 6937 they will extradite on Stewart, and you can go ahead and transport him.”
The other audio files are of dispatchers.
Schilling shot and killed Stewart on July 17, 2015, as the officer was trying to make a traffic stop.
Stewart was a passenger in the car pulled over and was placed under arrest when it was discovered he had warrants from Iowa City Police for two counts of second-degree sexual abuse and one from Illinois for juvenile delinquency.
A report released on April 7 by Internal Affairs said the MPD officer made two violations during the arrest.
While it was fine to place Stewart in his patrol car without handcuffs, Schilling violated procedure by not waiting for backup to arrive before opening the car door.
In addition, Schilling was advised to move out of Stewart’s earshot because the dispatcher was about to tell the officer Stewart had warrants and was to be extradited.
Not moving away as he was advised was a violation of policy and according to the finding, allowed Stewart to escape the car.
Schilling said Stewart attacked him, grabbed his handcuffs and used them to beat the officer despite the officer telling him to stop resisting.
The two were rolling on the ground when Schilling said Stewart was grabbing at his shirt and duty belt which held his gun and ammunition.
Schilling said he believed Stewart was grabbing anything he could use as a weapon.
As the struggle, which was caught on video, continued Schilling said he worried he would be knocked unconscious.
Schilling fired two shots, one in the right upper chest, while the other hit his left arm and continued into his body.
After the first shot, Schilling said Stewart ran about 60 yards, and Schilling gave chase.
Stewart reportedly fell to the ground and Schilling was able to get one handcuff on but left the other off since Stewart had been shot.
The TBI investigated the shooting and passed its 800-page findings onto the D.A., who recommended charges.
A grand jury declined to indict Schilling.
Schilling was granted retirement in early April by the pension board.
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