Tuscon Police Department terminated Officer Ryan Remington for excessive use of force in the shooting death of Richard Lee Richards, who was in a motorized wheelchair.

Richard Lee Richards, 61, who was suspected of shoplifting, died at the scene.

Police claimed that Richards had wielded a knife during the incident, refused to comply with orders to surrender the knife, and attempted to move away.

The department said that the Pima County Attorney’s Office was investigating the matter.

In the United States, investigation of cases of police brutality has often been left to internal police commissions and/or district attorneys (DAs). Internal police commissions have often been criticized for a lack of accountability and for bias favoring officers, as they frequently declare upon review that the officers acted within the department's rules, or according to their training. (ILKHA)