Arbitrators ordered an Oklahoma city to reinstate and give back pay to two terminated police officers who fatally shot 29-year-old Quadry Sanders, an unarmed Black man, in 2021, The New York Times reports.

In the May 30 ruling, two arbitrators separately found that the Lawton Police Department officers, Nathan Ronan, who is white, and Robert Hinkle, who is Black, were justified in firing a dozen shots that killed Sanders because the officers reasonably believed that deadly force was necessary.

Gary James, a lawyer for the officers, applauded the decision, saying that the cops are looking forward to getting back on the job.

Lawton’s city manager, John Ratliff, called the decision “disappointing,” adding that city officials planned to meet on June 22 to discuss their next move. Ratliff fired Ronan and Hinkle in January 2022.

On Dec. 5, 2021, the police received a 911 call about a man entering a house in violation of a protective order. The police said the caller reported that Sanders was waving a gun.

According to the Associated Press, police body camera footage shows Sanders appearing from behind a refrigerator with his hands visible, holding a baseball cap. When Sanders moves partially behind the fridge, Hinkle fires four times. Sanders' right hand appears raised above his head before he falls to the ground. Sanders sits up with his hands above his head, but Hinkle fires seven more times. Ronan also fire four times at Sanders.

James has argued that both officers saw Sanders reach into his pocket when he first stepped behind the refrigerator. But city officials disagreed, saying that Sanders was not an imminent threat when the officers fired their weapons.

In a statement sent June 6 to local station KSWO, city officials said they are considering whether to appeal the decision.

“While City Officials disagree with the awards and are disappointed with the outcome, it is important for citizens to understand that arbitration proceedings are strictly administrative in nature and that they are limited to administrative violations; and that both former officers remain under indictment for the shooting death of Mr. Sanders,” the statement read.

Indeed, the officers are not out of the woods yet. They face first-degree manslaughter charges in Comanche County, as well as a lawsuit from Sanders’ family.