Muskogee County DA rules officer justified in shooting death of Ponca City man

MUSKOGEE, Okla. (AP) – Muskogee County’s top prosecutor has ruled that an officer was justified when he fatally shot a man at a restaurant last week.

District Attorney Orvil Loge said in a letter to Muskogee Police Chief Johnny Teehee on Tuesday that an investigation has cleared officer Ron Yates from wrongdoing in the death of 36-year-old Andrew Kana of Ponca City.

The shooting occurred on Nov. 12 at the I Don’t Care Bar and Grill in Muskogee, about 45 miles southeast of Tulsa.

Authorities received a tip about a suspect who had several felony warrants out of Idaho and a warrant in Muskogee County for domestic assault by strangulation.

Yates was attempting to handcuff Kana when Kana turned and pulled out a small handgun from his pants pocket. Yates then shot Kana three times.