OSBI investigating police shooting

June 23, 2008 11:04 pm

— By Debbie Robinson
news@joplinglobe.com
MIAMI, Okla. — The Miami Police Department on Monday released the name of a man who was shot and killed by police Saturday night after he allegedly threw a knife at an officer.
The victim was identified as Ivar A. Rupley, 70, of 312 C St. S.E., Apartment 1, according to a police report.
According to the report, Officer Jeremy Myers and Officer Jeffrey Frazier responded about 9 p.m. Saturday to a call about Rupley allegedly hitting another tenant in the apartment house, Stephanie Pryor, with a cane.
Pryor told officers that her husband, Travis Pryor, had gone to the store, the report said.
She said she heard yelling and cursing coming from a downstairs apartment, and found her husband arguing with Rupley.
Rupley allegedly told Stephanie Pryor, “Your husband is a thief, and you’re a b---.”
Then, the report stated, Rupley hit Stephanie Pryor in the neck with his cane and struck her a second time in the leg.
Travis Pryor, the report stated, blocked the cane when Rupley tried to hit her a third time.
The couple called police to report the assault.
When the officers arrived, Frazier found Rupley’s door partially open and knocked on the door, the report stated.
Rupley allegedly cursed at Frazier and told him to leave.
Frazier found Rupley sitting on his bed holding his cane and a knife, according to the report. Another knife was nearby on the coffee table.
Rupley allegedly threw the knife at Frazier.
Frazier fired a single shot, dodged the knife, then leaned back inside the apartment and fired two more rounds, according to the report.
Myers drew his gun but did not have a clear view of Rupley, the report stated.
Frazier has been placed on administrative leave, pending the outcome of an investigation by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, said police Chief Gary Anderson.
Rupley had lived in the apartment for more than five years, Travis Pryor said Monday.
“He just got bad about a year ago,” he said. “He’s never acted like this before.”
Before that, Travis Pryor said, Rupley would always ask Stephanie Pryor how her day at work had been.
He said Rupley kept to himself and had no visitors.
Travis Pryor said Rupley hit an officer with his fist in another incident at the apartment sometime in the past year.
Last year, Anderson said, officers placed Rupley in emergency detention and referred him to adult protective services because Rupley refused to leave the apartment when officers responded to a report of a gas leak.
Anderson said officers responded another time to a report that Rupley had hit the side of a Pelivan Transit bus with his cane.
Anderson said he was unsure when the OSBI would complete the investigation and forward its information to the district attorney’s office for review.
Jessica Brown, public information director for the OSBI, said investigators will interview witnesses and look at physical evidence before turning over results to Randy Mathia with the district attorney’s office. Mathia was unavailable for comment Monday.
Frazier is a highly regarded officer, Anderson said.

Officer Frazier
Jeffrey Frazier has been a commissioned officer for about six years and is a recent graduate of Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, where he received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, said police Chief Gary Anderson.