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Last updated on Thursday, April 10, 2014
(EVANSVILLE) - The Evansville Police Department held a press conference to talk about an officer involved shooting that happened last Friday.
Evansville Police Sgt. Jason Cullum says an officer began to pursue the suspect because the headlights on his vehicle were off.
WFIE reports that speeds during the pursuit exceeded 100 miles per hour.
Veteran officer Ryan Winters saw the suspect's vehicle turn into the Home Life Studios & Suites on Green River Road.
Police say 53-year-old Arthur Samuel Fingers got out of the vehicle and began to walk away.
He tripped and fell on his stomach with his hands under his body.
Police say Officer Winters ordered Fingers to show his hands and Fingers rolled on to his back with his hands in the air.
Fingers was then ordered to stay on his stomach with his hands up.
Police say Fingers did not cooperate and eventually began reaching into his pocket.
That's when police say Officers Winters shot Fingers once in the abdomen.
We're told Winters was wearing a body camera but it was not rolling during the shooting.
"From the time Officer Winters gets on the radio and says he has the suspect to the time the second officer radioed that there's been shots fired is 12 seconds," said Cullum. "I can assure you that right now there's nobody in Evansville that wishes Ryan Winters had his body camera on more than Ryan Winters. He wishes this was on here so people can see exactly what he saw and we know that no questions asked, but at the end of the day his job is to deal with the problem at hand."
Cullum says Fingers is still in the hospital recovering and for that reason they have not had the opportunity to interview him about the incident.
We're told he did not have a weapon on him, but police found a loaded firearm in his car. They also found 18 grams of synthetic marijuana.
Fingers is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, dealing in synthetic marijuana and OMVWI.
Since Fingers is a convicted felon, Evansville Police tell us this arrest could put him away for the rest of his life.
Officer Winters has been cleared in the investigation.
Winters is a decorated veteran officer with 6-and-a-half years on the force. He was recognized at Officer of the Year in 2013 for his work in tactical medical training.
The investigation is ongoing.
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