From Staff Reports
MUSTANG – Five police officers who were involved in the fatal shooting of a Yukon man in June have been cleared of any wrongdoing, Police Chief Rob Groseclose said.
Groseclose released details of the fatal June shooting of a Yukon man who pulled a gun on officers.
An investigation into the shooting has been completed.
Benjamin Harold Ballard, 42, was shot and killed in a traffic altercation at SW 59 and Mustang Road about 6:45 p.m. Friday, June 5, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation reported.
A police patrol car dashboard camera video taken of the shooting was released during a news conference at Mustang’s police station Thursday that shows officers struggling with Ballard before Ballard is shot.
Police Chief Rob Groseclose said the OSBI and Canadian County District Attorney ruled the officers were justified.
“It is heart-breaking for the family and there are six families who have been affected by this event. And not only the families of our five police officers but the family of the suspect,” Groseclose said.
The officers involved were identified as Capt. John Gibson, Sgt. David Hanson, Sgt. William Carpenter, Sgt. Ben Brauer and officer Ben Trujillo.
Gibson has about 22 years of police experience and 17 years with the Mustang police department.
Hanson joined the Mustang police department in 2012 and is the current K-9 officer.
Carpenter is an Army veteran with over 10 years of law enforcement experience.
Brauer joined the Mustang department in 2016 and has been a police officer for seven years.
Trujillo has 20 years experience as an officer and worked in Nicoma Park before coming to Mustang in 2020.
The Mustang police officers said Ballard was pulled over and stopped his vehicle.
Ballard pulled a gun on the officers first during a struggle as he tried to stay in his pickup, the officers told OSBI agents.
Ballard was charged in Kingfisher County District Court in March with misdemeanor possession of a firearm while intoxicated and public intoxication.
Groseclose said an open container of beer was in Ballard’s vehicle and more cans of beer were inside it.
Ballard was arrested March 3 by Kingfisher police at Atwood’s, where Ballard had a .380 caliber Smith & Wesson pistol, the charge alleges.
