I got to switch out cuz he's leaving piece of [ __ ] God damn it. [ __ ] You got >> Yeah, I'm good. You couldn't get it. >> You guys all right? >> Yeah. I switch out cuffs and he glad I didn't take him off and I did the right thing. >> Yep. >> That was Thomas Robinson inside a Cincinnati police interview room. As an officer switched out his handcuffs, Robinson twisted in his chair and reached for the officer's gun. Within seconds, the room was full of officers and a taser was fired. >> So, do you want to talk to us or not? Yeah. >> I mean, I'm just ask It's up to you. You tell me. >> All [music] right. You ready? You ready to go? >> Yeah. >> All right. Let's go. >> All right. Go ahead. >> You're ready to go where? >> See your lawyer. Talk on the phone. >> Okay. >> You So, you want to you want to talk to your lawyer first? >> If I need a lawyer? Yeah. >> Well, you're under arrest. So, >> I'm under arrest. So, I need a lawyer. >> Yes. >> All right. I'd rather talk with a lawyer. >> Okay. Okay. >> All right. All right. And it'll be what? One kind of murder right now. >> Correct. >> Murder. >> Yeah. >> Cincinnati, Ohio. Around 3:00 in the morning on Thursday, June 16th, 2016, two young men were shot during a gathering at the Western Glenn Apartments on Montana Avenue in the city's Westwood neighborhood. Neither of them lived there. One, a man in his early 20s, survived with minor injuries. The other did not. 17-year-old Joseph Reno Armstrong Jr. was dead when officers arrived. 5 days later, on June 21st, police arrested 23-year-old Thomas Robinson. Police said he was carrying a loaded 9mm handgun. That same day, Robinson was brought into this room at the Cincinnati Police Criminal Investigation Section, his hands cuffed to face two detectives. He was about to be charged with murder. What happened here over the next hour would add a new charge to his case, and every second of it was recorded. We need of course in the [ __ ] >> I'm sorry. Um >> soda water. >> Yeah. You got a sprite or something? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Give us a couple minutes. We'll be down a minute or >> minutes at the top. See put this down. ginger. Sorry. He's going to ask you a couple of questions. Forgot. I'm Bill. This is J. >> How far along you go to school? >> Till the 12th grade. >> Where when did you get your DD? >> 2013. And so I'm not that's just embarrassing, but you can read, right? Any drugs, alcohol in the last 24 hours going to affect your thinking or smoking? >> We Yeah. >> Can you comprehend everything I'm saying or do you got a problem? >> Um, I did all type of drugs. >> You did what? >> All type of drugs. >> What does that mean? >> Did all type of drugs in these past 24 hours? >> What? What? So, you need to sit for a little while. Is that what you're saying? What you mean? Said n >> I mean can you comprehend what I'm saying? Like you can understand. >> Yeah. >> So you smoke some weed? >> Smoke. >> When was the last time you took some? All right. Well, what I'll do is read this to you and then if you anytime you feel that you're not comfortable answering the questions or talking, just let us know or you don't understand. >> I'll leave it up to you. Okay. >> What's your first name? >> Thomas. >> What's your last name? >> Robin. Okay, stop me if you have any questions. We have to read this cuz you're in a police facility. Before we ask you any questions, you must understand your rights. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used against you in court. You have the right to stop to talk to a lawyer. For advice before we ask you any questions and have them with you during question. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be appointed for you before any question if you wish. If you decide to answer questions now, without a lawyer present, you will still have the right to stop answering any time. You also have the right to stop answering at any time until you talk to the lawyer. This just means I read it to you. You're not admitting to nothing. Any questions? Nope. >> Okay. And sign it. >> What is your uh current address? Uh, >> who do you live there with? >> I don't know. >> Your wife? >> That's my mom and I. >> Is it a whole house or is it just an apartment? >> Who else lives there with you? >> I don't know. Right now, let's go. >> Okay. And do you have a phone number or a contact for >> No, no phone. >> No phone. Uh >> those two phones you got caught one aren't yours? >> I ain't getting caught with no phones. [music] >> You sure >> that's the one you're looking for, right? >> Huh? >> Okay. >> So, do you want to talk to us or not? >> Yeah. >> I mean, I'm just asking you. >> It's up to you. You tell [music] me. >> You ready? You ready to go? >> Yeah. >> All right. Let's go. >> All right. Go ahead. >> You're ready to go where? U see a lawyer, talk on the phone. >> Okay. You So you want to you want to talk to your lawyer first? >> If I need a lawyer? Yeah. >> Well, you're under arrest. So >> I'm under arrest, so I need a lawyer. >> Yes. >> All right. I've got to talk with a lawyer. >> Okay. Okay. >> All right. All right. >> Sit tight, dude. >> I take a while to do your prep work and then we'll come back down >> now. Sit for a couple hours. >> Mhm. >> All right. All right. >> Yeah. And it'll be one one kind of murder right now. >> Correct. >> Murder. >> Yeah. >> You got any other questions? >> No. No. >> Anybody you want us to call and contact and let them know you're here? >> My mom. >> What's your mama's name? >> Phone. >> Okay. Will she answer? >> Hopefully. So, she need to know about this. This >> Okay. All right. So tell I will have to ask you questions for the arrest slip, but those are just, you know, about health problems and all that stuff. Okay, that's for the jail for my benefit. All righty. >> Robinson has asked for a lawyer and that changes everything. Once a suspect in custody asks for an attorney, detectives have to stop questioning him about the crime. So there will be no interrogation about the shooting. The detectives leave to start the paperwork. For almost 20 minutes, Robinson sits alone in the room, still in handcuffs. Then a uniformed officer walks in to switch out his cuffs. I just got to switch out cuffs cuz he's leaving. car. You want to go kill me. [ __ ] off, you piece of [ __ ] God damn it. [ __ ] You good? >> Yeah, I'm good. You couldn't get it. >> You guys all right? >> Yeah. I switch out cuffs and he glad [snorts] I didn't take him off and I did the right thing. >> Yep. >> Keep moving. Move. I'm good. I got tased a little bit, but it's all right. I'm just trying to pull it up. I can get underneath. >> You're good. >> I'm good. I got to tase a little bit, but I'm all right. >> It's worth it as long as he's [ __ ] done. My handcuff keys somewhere. Starting to [ __ ] pull your gun. I know. Luckily, I had the old hood strap down. Couldn't get it. I'm glad I just had I left the other set of cuffs on there. If I done that, it would have been it would have been on. All right. on his way. Anyways, I told him >> I'm [ __ ] >> [ __ ] right. We move it. >> Probably don't even [ __ ] move. Don't move it. moving. So glad you hugged up this table. >> I'm really glad I didn't take that one cup off. >> All right. >> So, we got two cups on the chair. Yeah. We need to get this one. >> Well, I'll take this one off. That way it won't get stuck. The other one faces down. Can you help me out, please? >> Hey, do you guys have any uh >> zips? Zip zip ties. >> Zip ties. We got >> We should have 124 back. Another >> what? >> Huh? >> My sir, the fire department's coming to look at you. >> What? >> The fire department's coming to look at you. >> So, we tased you a few times. >> Was that your first shot? It was. I didn't take effect. I t everybody in the room but him. You might have gotten to me cuz I was I tried wrapping him pushing his arm down. >> Hi. Hi. >> Really? >> How are you? >> I was going to jail the rest of my life. Got to get away. >> I doubt about that now. Too. Yeah, we're good. >> Yeah, >> he's a little messed up, but we're good. >> You're involved. I'll do the paper >> cuz I know if you're involved it's necessary. You know the boss. >> Oh fire. >> You luckily I left one set on charge of robbery. Yeah. Robert police officer robber just sign. >> Did he go for your gun? >> Oh, he had it. He had it up completely. >> I'll be on video. >> I was trying to drop the mag cuz I wasn't sure how >> I was getting call. Can we move this chair? Sergeant, you didn't picture. You don't need to cuz it's video. I'm going to move the chair out of the way. Move whatever you need to move. Turn the recorder off so it's all on. Yeah, it's fine. Listen to how the officers describe it. One says Robinson had his hand on the gun and had pulled it up in the holster. The officer wearing it says the holster's retention hood was locked down so he couldn't get it out while officers tried to drop the magazine just in case. He had also kept one set of cuffs locked on while he switched the other. And before the medics even arrived, they are already talking about a new charge, robbery. Under Ohio law, trying to take a weapon from an officer can be charged as aggravated robbery. you tend to this. Come see what we get done and we'll do tight worry about we have fire coming right. >> Hey Dave, can you get down there fireing? >> Did [clears throat] you get an LCD number started? >> No. >> Yeah, Lord. I had >> assistance. I'm sure that's just fire. This is fire. >> All right, let's uh see here though. >> Yeah, don't [ __ ] me. Do it here and here. >> I can still get I'm not going to trust you. We can double up. >> You need another mirror. >> I can get the bottom. >> You understand? There's no >> they will tase you again if you make any bad moves. >> Follow their instructions. >> If I take the bottom one's still there. >> Let's take this one off. hand will be free then will you be quiet that one here cuz this one's down. >> Yeah. So we just make sure the hole is up. If we take this hole up here we put this one here and then we can cl this way right on his back. >> All right. Move. You can move. You're getting tastable, especially not in this position that you put yourself in. [clears throat] Oh my goodness. Oh, more unit 21. Hi gentlemen. >> Double check. >> Hey, hold on. >> Hold on. Put your hands together like a praying. pictures still or you got them out. >> He's still got bars in him. >> Yeah, right there for a few minutes. >> I'm fixing them. Very excited. >> Well, he grabbed the cops and scream. You're going to have to kill me. You want him turned over his back, isn't it? >> They're in his backy. >> Hopefully pretty close. So, >> I tossed one. Oh, >> there might be three in there. Hey, Ross. >> What? >> Yeah. You good at getting these? Huh? >> You good at getting these? This one's pretty deep. >> Rip it. And rip it. >> It's got a good grab on it. Yeah. Get out of there quickly. It's not going to get any easier. You do it. Okay. Get it. Told you it's deep. >> Another one up there by his neck, too. >> Might be a shoulder. What's up? >> We don't need that. >> Yeah, we got two more up here. >> Oh my god. Cool. >> Got to get this one quick, too. [clears throat] >> Got another one, dude. All right. [laughter] >> Robinson Roberts. Robinson. Robinson. >> Robinson or Robertson. >> Robinson. Robinson. Okay. >> When's your birthday? >> 92. How are you? >> Good. You >> good? >> No. What's your home address? >> Okay. Broke. >> What's broke? >> Your arm broke. >> What hurts right there, Rusty? >> Where's your elbow? Your >> regular. >> What part of your arm? >> Left left hand. >> Yeah. right here. >> You can move it. Don't look up too bad. >> Sure. >> Make sure he gets in the jam. Is that your left hand? probably take your blood pressure. Okay. >> 70 beats per minute. 97% everything. >> So you want to go sugar to might as well check that. >> You got any health problems, dude? absorb the cuffs on the chair. >> Sound like you're moving there just fine. You had any asthma problems lately, have you? >> Okay, cool. 160 over 90. Okay. >> Anything else hurt on you in your hand, Thomas? Yeah, but just >> sugar. You say you got asthma? >> A little patch ready? >> Yeah. You allergic to any medicines? 106. >> All right. Cool. [clears throat] >> Yes, sir. What the [ __ ] is going on? >> So, is he going to the hospital? >> Do we have another car responding to transport? >> Uh, we have another car. He's doing the tasing, too. >> We want to sh They're called with the lieutenant. It was this. >> We're going to put We're going to put you in shackles, okay? Because of the way you behave, >> okay? Don't misbehave again. We'll have to take you a second time. >> This is all passive. We're not going to be dicks and lock it down or nothing like that. We just need you to cooperate. Okay. >> Grab this arm. He's going to grab the other one. We're going to save. >> Lean up to your knees. Straight up to your feet. Right against that wall. Who's got him right now to the side? I got >> away from your body. >> I think it's just >> I need something like that. >> Well, a bad decision. >> I guess so. Huh? I don't even get this in my brother this keyholes are up on those, aren't they? >> Hang on. Y put this one underneath those. >> Then we secure. >> Mhm. >> Normally it wouldn't make a big difference, but this >> put your hands back toward me. We'll get we'll get it all right here in just a second. Okay. >> Give us a second to get things right. These next ones are going on your feet. Don't be a fool. Okay. >> Uhhuh. >> Put your feet apart. Uh, did y'all call my mama? She got to get her rent money. >> Uh, you can make that call from >> valid. >> Firefighters checked Robinson in the room. He told them his left hand and wrist hurt. He was not taken to a hospital. Officers put him in leg shackles and one officer stays behind to watch him. In the minutes that follow, the officers who were in the struggle begin to talk it through. Can I have somebody with transport coming down? Somebody else has transport. 20 minute use down. We actually did the right thing. I actually did the right thing and left the cuffs on transfer cuff cuz >> you were help like that. >> I can't see your cuffs. And if you stand up, I'm going to assume you got out of your cuffs and I'm going to act accordingly. You understand? my [ __ ] like that. >> It's under my bone. >> Okay, you're fine. >> Can Can I like my wrist? I ain't going to do nothing. I'm not going to lie. Watch me. Watch me. Look at my left wrist. My bone. >> It's probably about as comfortable as you're going to get. What was I just doing though? I don't really >> I was upstairs so I didn't I don't know. >> I'm just standing here to make sure nothing else happened >> for everybody. Okay. Mhm. I thought I was I had like a He's position like this. I was trying I was trying to leave the bag out just in I just want to grab his finger before sleep. They're double long. So, >> they're on the way they're supposed to be. >> They're not too tight. I can see a gap in there. >> Where's the gap in these? There's no >> You're going to be in the jail. >> People that have cancer deal with pain and discomfort for years on end. You can deal with it for 35 minutes. You understand me? Sir, we're going to move you to a different room down the hallway. Okay. So, go ahead and stand up for me. >> Look at this left. Look at this left cup. I can't feel. >> Okay. We'll deal with that when we get to the other room. Okay. Um, undoing handcuffs right the second not really an option. Turn left for me and then left again. >> Thomas Robinson was booked into the Hamilton County Justice Center with bonds set at more than $1.5 million. The officer he struggled with was treated for injuries to his lip and face. 3 days later, Cincinnati police released this video to the public. Robinson was charged with murder in Reno Armstrong's death with felonious assault for shooting the second man and for what happened in this room with aggravated robbery. In October 2019, more than 3 years after the shooting, Robinson pleaded guilty to three charges. Voluntary manslaughter reduced from murder in the death of Joseph Reno Armstrong Jr., felonious assault for the second victim, and aggravated robbery for trying to take the officer's gun. He was sentenced to 18 years in prison. Joseph Reno Armstrong Jr. was born in Cincinnati on February 15th, 1999. He was 17 years old. If you value detailed interrogation breakdowns and the stories behind the footage, subscribe to Stay Alert Interrogation. More cases are coming.