Drummond dismisses criminal charge against Oklahoma City police officer

OKLAHOMA CITY (Dec. 27, 2024) – Attorney General Gentner Drummond today dismissed a criminal charge filed by Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicky Behenna against Oklahoma City Police Sgt. Joseph Gibson in connection with an Oct. 27 incident involving Mr. Lich Vu. Drummond entered an appearance in the case on Monday, Dec. 23, effectively taking over the prosecution. 

“As Attorney General, I will not permit Oklahoma police officers to face criminal prosecution for conduct adhering to their training,” Drummond said. “While the outcome of this incident is unquestionably devastating for Mr. Vu and his family, I do not believe the officer exhibited criminal intent.”

He said it is never acceptable for a member of the public to strike, push, or otherwise make unwanted physical contact with a police officer.

“Our law enforcement officers work under constant stress, where the most routine interactions can become life-threatening in an instant,” Drummond said. “For everyone’s safety, it is imperative to follow an officer’s instructions and to never strike, push, or make any kind of unwelcome physical contact with an officer. This is the law, and the law applies equally to all. No individual is allowed to hit or push an officer, regardless of whether he or she doesn’t understand English well or comes from a different culture. The simple truth is, this unfortunate incident never would have occurred if Mr. Vu had kept his hands to himself.”

While the criminal charges have been dropped, Drummond noted there remains an open and ongoing internal investigation that could result in non-criminal forms of accountability for Sgt. Gibson. 

“The Oklahoma City Police Department is conducting a thorough and rigorous investigation to determine whether Sgt. Gibson violated any policies or procedures,” he said. “The results of that investigation will determine what discipline he may face.”