Officer regrets pulling Taser instead of gun on Finicum

According to a newly released 170-page document in the shooting death investigation of LaVoy Finicum, one officer regretted switching from a gun to a Taser.

Finicum, the former spokesperson of the armed occupation, was shot and killed on Jan. 26 by Oregon State Police troopers on Highway 395 north of Burns.

One of them, who is referred to in documents as Officer #3, said in his testimony released Monday: “I’m worried that I made the worst time to transition to a Taser.”

After Finicum sped from a traffic stop to the roadblock, the officers were warned through radio: “He’s taken off, and he’s coming at you guys.”

Officer #3 described the frantic atmosphere at the roadblock as officers were preparing for what might come next.

“I gotta get out of here,” the officer said. “This is not good.”

As Finicum’s truck was speeding toward them, the officer was hiding behind a tree.

“It’s almost like a nightmare,” the officer said.

He saw Finicum exit the truck.

“He kind of falls” in the deep snow, the officer recalled.

The officer had his gun pointed at him, but did not shoot. Finicum kept walking, and when he was on steady ground, the officer made the decision to switch to a Taser. Shortly after, Finicum kept reaching across his body, toward his jacket pocket. The officer assumed he was reaching for his gun.

Later, investigators said they found a loaded gun in the jacket pocket. The gun was not registered to Finicum, but instead to his son-in-law.

At that point, the officer said he was thankful for the cover he was being provided from another officer ,who was pointing a gun at Finicum.

“(…) Finicum had the drop on me at this point,” the officer said. “If I don’t have cover, lethal cover from somebody else, he’s going to be able to get his gun and get a shot off on me before I can get a shot off. (…) It’s very uncomfortable, scary, terrifying.”