Tuscon, AZ, police officer, Ryan Remington, has been fired and is under investigation after fatally shooting a man in a wheelchair, suspected of shoplifting, nine times from behind. According to WHIO, police identified Richard Lee Richards, 61, as the man using a motorized wheelchair, saying that he was holding a knife at the time of his death.

The body cam has been released. *GRAPHIC*

Last night a Police officer shot a man in a wheelchair 9 times killing him.

61yr old Richard Lee Richards.

Officer Ryan Remington has been fired and the case has been sent to the district attorney for review.

Tucson, Arizona pic.twitter.com/lmDGq5OkKX

— T (@tmil23_) December 1, 2021

Richards' death was captured on body camera footage and a surveillance camera from the Lowe's home improvement store where the incident took place. AP News reports Remington's attorney, Mike Storie, said the officer did have a taser, but said, "He couldn't use it because he didn’t feel he had the proper spread to deploy it, with the wheelchair between him and Richards."

Richards was accused of stealing a toolbox from Walmart and then threatening an employee with the knife when he was confronted, NewsOne reports. Tuscon Police Department's Chief Chris Magnus revealed in a statement that Remington went after Richards in the parking lot with the help of the employee.

"According to the employee, he caught up with Mr. Richards outside as he fled the store and asked to see a receipt for the toolbox,” Magnus said. “Instead of providing the receipt, Mr. Richards brandished a knife and said, ‘Here’s your receipt.'”

“Mr. Richards refused to comply, and instead continued to head through the Walmart and Lowe’s parking lots,” he continued. “According to the Walmart employee, Mr. Richards said, ‘If you want me to put down the knife, you’re going to have to shoot me.'”

The outlet reports Richards is just the latest on a long list of names of victims of police brutality this year —120 to be exact. However, many of them went without large recognition. Anthony Harden was killed in November during a confrontation with Fall River police. Andra Murphy was killed by police in Bolivar, Tennessee, outside of the Hardeman County Justice Complex on Oct. 6. Police officers fatally shot George Watson after someone reported a person brandishing a gun on his apartment balcony in Washington, D.C. They later determined the weapon was a mere pellet gun, meant for shooting paintballs, but didn't pose a lethal threat.

Those are just three more names added as casualties to a much bigger national problem. As the world continues to watch the fallout of George Floyd's death and the aftermath of Jacob Blake's killing, the list continues to grow; but for some, the world may be paying less attention.

Richard-Lee-Richards

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