Allen raised the important point that Tensing’s story that he was dragged by the car before shooting—which Deters roundly rejected and cannot be seen anywhere in the video—was backed up by his fellow officers. Reading the initial police report after having watched the video is a frightful lesson on the lengths to which officers will go to protect one another. In the report, Tensing tells the reporting officer—Eric Weibel—that “he was attempting a traffic stop … when, at some point, he began to be dragged by a male Black driver who was operating a 1998 Green Honda Accord.” “Officer Tensing stated that he almost was run over by the driver of the Honda Accord and was forced to shoot the driver with his duty weapon,” Weibel’s report continues.

Later, “Tensing repeated that he was being dragged by the vehicle and had to fire his weapon.”