Omaha Police: Autopsy confirms man killed by officer not shot in back

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - The autopsy of the man killed by police Saturday evening was completed Monday, according to Omaha Police.

In a statement Monday afternoon, OPD again addressed rumors about the death of 22-year-old Steven Phipps, saying that the autopsy showed no injuries on his back.

“There have been rumors circulating in the community regarding this incident, specifically claiming that Mr. Phipps was shot in the back by police. However, the autopsy, which was completed today, confirms that Mr. Phipps did not suffer any injuries to his back or that region of his body.”

The department had made similar comments in an update late Saturday night.

“We are aware of circulating rumors related to this incident that are inaccurate. The OPD Public Information Office is the official source of information related to this incident. Our department is committed to transparency and keeping the community informed of factual information."

Police say the two officers involved will be formally interviewed Tuesday. OPD said they would identify the officer involved once that happens, and provide written details about those interviews. OPD also plans to hold a press conference concerning the shooting at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.

The update comes a day after police shared a detailed report on the shooting, which included a photo they said was the suspect weapon as seen from an Omaha Police officer’s body-worn camera.

According to the Saturday update, the incident escalated from a traffic stop two OPD officers performed at 5:45 p.m. that evening just south of 31st Street and Ames Avenue. Phipps, the driver of a Chevrolet Monte Carlo, immediately got out of the vehicle after the officers pulled him over.

Standing near their police cruiser, the officers gave him verbal commands to “stay in the car,” but he then ran south through a nearby lot, and both officers ran after him, the OPD report states.

According to the report, Phipps pulled a handgun from his front as he climbed over a fence near the Metro Area Transit Center. Police say the motion was caught on OPD body-worn camera video.

One officer shot at — and hit — Phipps, the report states. An ambulance took him to Nebraska Medical Center, where he died.

Neither officer was injured. The officer who shot Phipps was placed on administrative leave.

“Various aspects of this incident were captured on the officer’s body-worn camera, cruiser camera, and area surveillance footage,” OPD said Saturday.

Police also said that there was a passenger in the vehicle with Phipps when he was pulled over. That person walked away from the scene as police chased after Phipps, but has since been located, according to Saturday’s OPD update.

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Digital producer Jackson Piercy contributed to this report.

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