The 73-year-old reserve deputy who mistakenly pulled out his gun instead of a Taser and shot dead a fleeing suspect says the mix-up could have happened to anyone. Robert Bates, from Tulsa, Oklahoma, spoke at length about the deadly incident for the first time on the Today show on Friday, where he was flanked by his lawyer and family members. He also took the opportunity to apologize to the family of the man he killed in the April 2 incident. 'First and foremost let me apologize to the family of Eric Harris,' he said as he became emotional. 'I rate this as number one on my list of things in my life that I regret... I still can't believe it happened.' Scroll down for videos . Apology: Robert Bates became emotional as he apologized to the family of the man he shot dead during a botched sting operation on April 2. The reserve deputy appeared on the Today show on Friday . The interview comes just days after Bates turned himself in to face charges of second-degree manslaughter. He was released after posting a $25,000 bond. On the Today show, he recalled how he had been in his car several blocks away when Harris, 44, ran towards him amid a botched undercover gun-sale operation. Video of the incident shows Bates chasing after the man. In an attempt to subdue him, Bates went to grab his Taser, but was unaware he had actually pulled out his gun instead. In the video, Bates can be heard shouting 'Taser! Taser!' When the gunshot goes off, he says: 'I shot him. I'm sorry.' The fatally-wounded man can be heard daying: 'Oh my god, he shot me! He shot me! He shot me, man' before adding: 'Oh, my god. I'm losing my breath!' On the Today show, Bates said he was immediately hit by shock when the gun went off. Mix up: While on the Today show, he showed where he keeps his Taser (left) compared to where he keeps his gun (right). He said that there have previously been cases of officers confusing the position of the two . Support: He appeared on the Today show on Friday flanked by family members and his lawyer, right . 'Oh my god, what has happened?' he recalled thinking. 'This was not an intentional thing. I had no desire to ever take anyone's life.' He said that the shock remains with him and he is unable to sleep or concentrate. Bates also stood up and demonstrated where he keeps his Taser on his body - slightly below his chest - compared to where he keeps his gun - on his lower right-hand side near his pants pocket. Today show host Matt Lauer asked him how he could make the mistake, when the two pieces of equipment are kept so far away from each other on the body. 'This has happened a number of times around the country, I have read about it in the past,' Bates responded. 'I thought to myself after reading several cases, "I don't understand how this can happen". You must believe me - it can happen to anyone.' Shot dead: Eric Harris, who is pictured with his son Aidan, was killed in the incident on April 2 . Shooting: This photo shows a deputy bending down to pick up Bates's dropped gun following the accidental shooting in Tulsa earlier this month. Harris is being held down on the ground, out of shot, by other deputies . Terrified: The fatally-wounded man, who is being held by his neck and back by the deputies (pictured), says: 'Oh my god, he shot me! He shot me! He shot me, man.' He then adds: 'Oh, my god. I'm losing my breath' The interview follows reports that Bates, a millionaire insurance broker, had been allowed to 'play cop' after he donated pricey equipment to the department - a claim he called 'unbelievably unfair'. Bates, who is among several well-to-do Tulsa residents who moonlight as reserve deputies, has purchased five vehicles for the police force. He also dismissed recent reports in the Tulsa World that he had not completed the proper hours of training, saying it is 'absolutely the truth' that he had paperwork to show he had completed it. His lawyer added that the report was largely based on claims made by a man who was terminated from the department seven years ago, at which point Bates had only been there a few months. Bates is classified by the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office as an 'advanced reserve'. This means that he went through 480 hours training of the 'Field Training Officer' or FTO. In his statement to investigators, Bates said he had previously attended a five-day homicide school in Dallas and also received 'active shooter response training' with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office in Arizona. He also claims to have been involved in 'at least 100 other' assignments. Charged: Harris (pictured left) died from his injuries and Bates (right in his mug shot) has been charged with second-degree manslaughter. He faces four years in prison if he is convicted . Confusion: An image shows a Taser and a handgun similar to the weapons Bates was carrying. He mistakenly thought he was holding a Taser, not his handgun, when he fatally shot Eric Harris . But the sources who spoke to Tulsa World claimed that the reserve deputy was not properly trained to be an armed deputy, despite Sheriff Stanley Glanz saying otherwise. Indeed, Sheriff Glanz and Bates' own legal team have repeatedly produced records which they claim prove he was an 'advanced reserve' and had undergone 480 hours training. However, when asked to produced proof that Bates was certified to use three weapons, including the revolver he fired at Harris, the Sheriff's Office say they have been unable to find the paperwork. Bates faces four years in prison if convicted. See below for video .
Tulsa County Sheriff's Office reserve deputy Robert Bates faces a charge of second-degree manslaughter for the April 2 shooting of Eric Harris .
In an interview on the Today show on Friday, he described his shock and remorse at the shooting and how he never intended to kill anyone .
He demonstrated that he kept his Taser near his chest and his gun on his right side - but insisted the mix-up could have happened to anyone .
Bates said he had completed all proper training and was not allowed to 'play cop' just because he had donated equipment to the sheriff's office .