HAMILTON COUNTY PROSECUTOR JOSEPH DETERS ANNOUNCES INDICTMENT IN UC OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING.
Today, Hamilton County Prosecutor Joseph T. Deters announced that University of Cincinnati (“UC”) Police Officer Ray Tensing (DOB 11-13-89) has been indicted on 1 count of Murder (Special Felony) and 1 count of Voluntary Manslaughter (Felony 1) in the July 19th shooting death of Samuel Dubose. If convicted of all charges, he faces the possibility of life in prison.
Tensing was working as a UC police officer on July 19th when he stopped Samuel Dubose’s 1998 Honda Accord for not displaying a front license plate. Officer Tensing asked Mr. Dubose to produce his driver’s license which he did not do. The officer also asked him to unbuckle his seat belt. Tensing tried to open the car door as Mr. Dubose was trying to close the door. As Mr. Dubose was closing the car door, he was also turning the ignition back on. The officer reached in the car and it appears on the body camera video that the officer draws his gun and fires a single shot to Mr. Dubose’s head as the car starts to move.
Tensing activated his body camera at the start of the traffic stop at approximately 6:30 p.m. and the body camera recorded the events including Tensing’s single shot to Mr. Dubose’s head. UC and Cincinnati Police officers (“CPD”) responded to the scene and CPD took control of the investigation.
Mr. Dubose was pronounced dead at the scene. The Hamilton County Coroner ruled his death a homicide by means of a gunshot wound.
Hamilton County Prosecutor Joseph T. Deters commented, “This was an asinine act which did not have to occur. There was no reason for this. And now, Tensing will face a murder charge.”
