NV - Police fatally shoot man holding cell phone

[Tillicum]

More at link http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/las-vegas/metro-police-shoot-kill-wanted-man-west-valley

Three of Denehy's children, ages 7, 5 and 3, were playing next to her on the lawn. That's when an unmarked patrol car sped north in front of her Maple Valley Street home, then swerved into a U-turn and pulled up next to her.

The officer asked if she'd seen a black man running. When she said no, he told her, "Go inside and lock all your doors."

Minutes later, two officers happened upon the wanted man a few houses down from Denehy's, in the 8300 block of Gilded Crown Court.

 

[RANCH]

I was responding to post 151. The poster was posting that he was shot due to his history and being a fleeing felon.

Is that what you got from her post? That's not what I got from it.

 

[K_Z]

He wasn't shot because of his past history.

He was shot because of his behavior during the process of being arrested. And it wasn't the kind of arrest where they only "thought" he was a suspect in a crime. There were absolutely certain he was the person they were pursuing and arresting. The violent criminal who skipped out on bail, fled before sentencing, and had to be pursued across several states with the cooperation of the federal marshals and local police.

Man, I feel so bad for the officers and their families. But KC's family and pregnant GF had to know EXACTLY what kind of man he was-- a violent, convicted felon. It matters not that they think he was "nice" or a "good father" to the GF's child from another man. That would have been good to bring up at his trial that he skipped out on, not after he was shot dead for his own behavior after fleeing and resisting arrest.

Police made the right choice shooting him under these circumstances, IMO.

I'm sorry they had to do it. It's a nightmare for them and their families. I wish that they had had other options. But Keith Childress made HIS choices. Police were only reacting to Keith Childress' incredibly bad and criminal choices.

KC bears all the responsibility for his death, IMO. His family deserves nothing in the way of $$, IMO, pre-emptively, or in a potential civil suit.

 

[RANCH]

It's those following minutes that family members would like to know more about. They wonder how the brother they knew as a friend and devoted father could end up dead.


"He wasn't this evil person that they portrayed him as," Mann said.


A public records search in Arizona showed that Keith Childress was convicted of several crimes including aggravated assault, burglary and armed robbery but failed to show up for his sentencing and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

The family comments are interesting. They wonder how he could end up dead? Seriously? Look at his record.

He wasn't an evil person? He sure wasn't a good upstanding productive member of society. JMO

 

[EllieBee]

I think the reason was they thought he had a gun. Correct?

That was what LE said. That they thought he was holding a gun. But who knows?

 

[kimlynn]

Is that what you got from her post? That's not what I got from it.

That was my attempt to briefly explain the part of the post I was responding to. I understand there were many reasons listed as to why this guy was shot.
Perhaps someone should inform LE because so far all they are saying is he was shot because they thought a cell phone was a gun.

 

[Tawny]

I wonder what he would've done if the officers hadn't shot?

Run maybe. Or maybe he'd have been tackled and arrested, alive to face trial.

 

[Tillicum]

I think the reason was they thought he had a gun. Correct?

Police captain Matt McCarthy said officers had been provoked to open fire not only because the attempted murder suspect was thought to be holding a deadly weapon, but also because the altercation took place in a residential area. No bystanders or police officers were hurt during the altercation.

http://www.newsweek.com/man-holding-cellphone-mistaken-gun-shot-dead-las-vegas-410999

 

[katydid23]

I was responding to post 151. The poster was posting that he was shot due to his history and being a fleeing felon.

That is not what I said. I said that his history had an impact because otherwise they would not have been tracking him. They were paid to apprehend him. They knew about his violent past and his desperation to avoid jail. So his story had an impact upon their decision. The violent history and desperation to avoid jail would help lead police to the conclusion that he might have a gun hidden in his hand, since he refused to let them see what it was.

 

[katydid23]

That was my attempt to briefly explain the part of the post I was responding to. I understand there were many reasons listed as to why this guy was shot.
Perhaps someone should inform LE because so far all they are saying is he was shot because they thought a cell phone was a gun.

Well, that is the short hand version. But obviously there is more to it.

There were US Marshalls sent across state lines to apprehend him. You don't think that is added into the mix in any way?

 

[katydid23]

Run maybe. Or maybe he'd have been tackled and arrested, alive to face trial.

He already had his trial and was found guilty on several serious counts. He ran. And was caught. He should have given up and accepted the consequences, imo.

 

[bluesneakers]

Run maybe. Or maybe he'd have been tackled and arrested, alive to face trial.

If only they had realized it was a cellphone before they shot him. That might have made all the difference.

 

[Tillicum]

If only they had realized it was a cellphone before they shot him. That might have made all the difference.

True so why didn't he tell them or drop it? He knew they thought it was a gun. He had to know what could and would likely happen yet he continued to move toward them knowing they thought he had a gun. After they told him more than once to freeze.

 

[Tawny]

True so why didn't he tell them or drop it? He knew they thought it was a gun. He had to know what could and would likely happen yet he continued to move toward them knowing they thought he had a gun. After they told him more than once to freeze.

Because he was an idiot, IMO. Whatever his reason, it was a dumb choice.

 

[RANCH]

That was my attempt to briefly explain the part of the post I was responding to. I understand there were many reasons listed as to why this guy was shot.
Perhaps someone should inform LE because so far all they are saying is he was shot because they thought a cell phone was a gun.

That's not entirely accurate. LE said more than that.

According to Metro Police, he ignored several commands to drop the object in his hand and advanced towards officers

Childress wouldn't drop the object or show his hands and advanced towards the officers. That's why he was shot.

http://www.lasvegasnow.com/news/family-of-unarmed-man-killed-by-police-speaks-out

 

[kimlynn]

That is not what I said. I said that his history had an impact because otherwise they would not have been tracking him. They were paid to apprehend him. They knew about his violent past and his desperation to avoid jail. So his story had an impact upon their decision. The violent history and desperation to avoid jail would help lead police to the conclusion that he might have a gun hidden in his hand, since he refused to let them see what it was.

Yes that was part of what you said in your post. As I explained my response to RANCH was a brief explanation to what part of your post I was responding to.

 

[pappa rob]

He already was judged by a jury of his peers. And found GUILTY> Then he skipped out on the bail and made a run for it.

Because he ran like a coward, the federal Marshals had to track him down out of state. At that point, he is a fleeing felon. He is not a man presumed innocent, awaiting trial. He is a convicted felon who was trying to escape prison time.

And for that reason, the marshals are going to assume he is desperate and violent. This is not like a regular traffic stop. This is the apprehension of a dangerous felon who has jumped bay before sentencing.

He was not shot dead for carrying a phone. He was shot dead for doing a brutal home invasion, being found Guilty, then jumping bail before sentencing, and running across state lines, then refusing to comply when finally caught by the US Marshals, and refusing commands to drop the object and stop advancing.

And what was he found guilty of what? If he was out on bail there was a pending charge, not one he was convicted of..

 

[kimlynn]

That's not entirely accurate. LE said more than that.



Childress wouldn't drop the object or show his hands and advanced towards the officers. That's why he was shot.

http://www.lasvegasnow.com/news/family-of-unarmed-man-killed-by-police-speaks-out

Correct and the reason for their concern was that they thought he had a gun while advancing toward them. So it wasn't so much the advancing but the fear of the "weapon" IMO

 

[kimlynn]

Run maybe. Or maybe he'd have been tackled and arrested, alive to face trial.

Bad people don't deserve a trial.

 

[MIKAYOYO]

If only they had realized it was a cellphone before they shot him. That might have made all the difference.

OR if only he had not been runnig from his CRIMES.
OR if only he had not committed said crimes in the first place.

When will we see thatt a lot of these LE ivolved shootings would be non existent if people would just follow tthe freaking laws. SMH