NV - Police fatally shoot man holding cell phone

[Tillicum]

"He ran in the house hysterical like 'mom, mom, there's a guy out there with the cops saying freeze, freeze' and we're like what what's going on and we went outside to look, like we just saw the cops, and they say 'go back in the house.'"

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

In this amount of time why didn't he stop and drop his phone? If the officers thought he had a gun I can understand their concerns for the safety of the neighbors. They were in a very bad situation IMO.

 

[Tawny]

The list from suicide.org says:

98 percent were male (check)
39 percent had a history of domestic violence (unknown?)
Many individuals abused alcohol and/or drugs (arrests, so probably)
Many individuals had a prior history of suicide attempts (unknown)
About 50 percent of the weapons used were loaded (no)
17 percent used a toy or replica gun (maybe?)

Suicidology list (I deleted the items for women):

1.95% were male
2. Mean age: 35 for men
3. 41% men were Caucasian, 26% Hispanic and 16% African American

7. 54% of men were unemployed
8. 29% of men did not have housing

10. 80% of men were armed – of these 60% possessed a firearm, (86% loaded), 26%possessed knives

12. 19% feigned or simulated weapon possession
13. 87% of individuals made suicidal communications prior and/or during the incident
14. 36% were under the influence of alcohol

That definitely stands out to me.

 

[bluesneakers]

Maybe he didn't have the will to live :/ I hope we get updates soon. Sucks if this was what he felt was his only option.

I hope that's not it, especially seeing how his family and friends have been so public with their support of him.

 

[ohreally]

The list from suicide.org says:

98 percent were male (check)
39 percent had a history of domestic violence (unknown?)
Many individuals abused alcohol and/or drugs (arrests, so probably)
Many individuals had a prior history of suicide attempts (unknown)
About 50 percent of the weapons used were loaded (no)
17 percent used a toy or replica gun (maybe?)

Suicidology list (I deleted the items for women):

1.95% were male
2. Mean age: 35 for men
3. 41% men were Caucasian, 26% Hispanic and 16% African American

7. 54% of men were unemployed
8. 29% of men did not have housing

10. 80% of men were armed – of these 60% possessed a firearm, (86% loaded), 26%possessed knives

12. 19% feigned or simulated weapon possession
13. 87% of individuals made suicidal communications prior and/or during the incident
14. 36% were under the influence of alcohol

At the bottom of the link just above references this is stated: Criminal Intervention: Criminal, who believes •
there is no way out, prefers death to being
arrested

 

[EllieBee]

<modsnip>

Like I said earlier, we'll see if the attempted murder charge is real or not. It will be the tipping point in my view of this and any similar event.

<modsnip>

Same here, although I do think that no matter what the charge, it is not up to LE to cut out the courts and go directly to a death sentence.

However, I will be more willing to believe the tired "thought it was a gun" excuse wrt a possible murder suspect than, say, some b&e suspect for example.

 

[bluesneakers]

That definitely stands out to me.

It seems like a low percentage, but yeah, it's there.

Officer involved shootings - 36% were attempted /completed suicide by cop

Of those:
Controlled attack (subject confronts police with a real or threatened weapon) - 16%

Without knowing if he had a mental illness and/or previous attempts I don't know what to think.

 

[Tawny]

Has anybody seen any mention of how many officers were present and their positions? Was it a stand off type of situation or was it a quickfast shooting? Just wondering if there was any way for the officers to see what he had, etc. in an effort to see if they felt it was justified. I mean, they clearly did feel that way since they opened fire, just want to see if we can get a scenario of it.

 

[EllieBee]

Maybe he didn't have the will to live :/ I hope we get updates soon. Sucks if this was what he felt was his only option.

This always saddens me about people who are suicidal. You cannot make them see the hope- can't see it FOR them.

I do think that there is a parallel between people who engage in risky or criminal behaviours and suicidal tendencies. Maybe it's a sense of "no down side"?

I don't know.....hope we will hear more on this story soon. I know MSM often gets the deets wrong in a rush to get the story out.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

Police said his right hand held what they believed to be a firearm.

Officers told him to drop the gun and ordered him to stop when he began to move towards them. Police said two officers opened fire when Childress did not obey their commands. He was pronounced dead at the scene

All Childress had to do was obey the officers commands. Moving towards officers when told to stop is not a very wise move. JMO

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jan/02/las-vegas-police-shoot-kill-suspect-holding-cellphone

 

[EllieBee]

Wording on criminal charges always is hard for me to decipher, but what is "misconduct w/weapons"? Would that be like firing off shots in the air but not at anyone? I mean otherwise it woud be "assault w/weapon" or "attempted murder", right?

Via Maricopa County. This is all that showed up, but that doesn't mean this is all there is IMO.

Marijuana possession and use
(Dismissed, pleaded guilty)

Armed robbery, kidnapping

Kidnap, aggravated assault, theft, burglary, misconduct w/weapons, burglary


List of not guilty or cases dismissed do not include attempted murder, but do include impersonating a peace officer:
https://www.superiorcourt.maricopa....rtCases/caseInfo.asp?caseNumber=CR2013-110703

 

[bluesneakers]

All Childress had to do was obey the officers commands. Moving towards officers when told to stop is not a very wise move. JMO

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jan/02/las-vegas-police-shoot-kill-suspect-holding-cellphone

We only have the officers' words that he was moving toward them and not dropping his phone. I would like to hear from witnesses or see video. JMO

 

[bluesneakers]

Wording on criminal charges always is hard for me to decipher, but what is "misconduct w/weapons"? Would that be like firing off shots in the air but not at anyone? I mean otherwise it woud be "assault w/weapon" or "attempted murder", right?

There's a list here:
http://www.phxcriminaldefense.com/arizonas-laws-on-misconduct-involving-weapons/

But looking at the disposition it wasn't one of his charges, only his co-defendants were charged with it, and there's no code saying what the status is/was.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

We only have the officers' words that he was moving toward them and not dropping his phone. I would like to hear from witnesses or see video. JMO

At this point I'll take the officers word for what happened.

 

[Archangel7]

We only have the officers' words that he was moving toward them and not dropping his phone. I would like to hear from witnesses or see video. JMO

semper necessitas probandi incumbit ei qui agit. Latin. A maxim in law this is translated as the necessity of proof lies with the person who lays charges.

Seems we have prejudicial treatment as an upholder of the Truth Justice and American Way
that is too quick to assume the thought that the officers are required to prove their innocence?

No it should be proven they were incorrect/wrong/guilty as that is how justice works.

He who charges wrong doing provides the proof of same right?

 

[Deleted member 39678]

Authorities have identified an attempted murder suspect who was fatally shot by Las Vegas police after they mistook his cellphone for a gun.

This quote says that Childress was a "suspect" in an attempted murder not that he was charged with attempted murder.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/latest-man-killed-officers-holding-phone-ided-36056110

 

[bluesneakers]

This quote says that Childress was a "suspect" in an attempted murder not that he was charged with attempted murder.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/latest-man-killed-officers-holding-phone-ided-36056110

From the same link:

A Phoenix attorney who represented a man fatally shot by Las Vegas police after they mistook his cellphone for a gun says his client was wanted for missing his trial for multiple crimes, none of which was attempted murder

I've seen nothing officially showing he was a murder suspect. At first they said he was but so far it appears, imo, they got it wrong. Maybe we'll learn more later this week.

 

[Archangel7]

This quote says that Childress was a "suspect" in an attempted murder not that he was charged with attempted murder.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/latest-man-killed-officers-holding-phone-ided-36056110

Just a guess based on experience, that at a minimum, there was at least a warrant for failure to appear.
Being a "suspect" in attempted murder, under surveillance, failure to appear and then in flight were all likely factors in why the US Marshalls were involved.

 

[Nana]

To bad he didn't stay and man up to his charges, his children were counting on him.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

From the same link:


I've seen nothing officially showing he was a murder suspect. At first they said he was but so far it appears, imo, they got it wrong. Maybe we'll learn more later this week.

The quote from "authorities" I provided says he was a suspect in an attempted murder. Sounds official to me.

 

[Archangel7]

From the same link:


I've seen nothing officially showing he was a murder suspect. At first they said he was but so far it appears, imo, they got it wrong. Maybe we'll learn more later this week.

The lawyer WOULDN'T know about attempted murder charges until AFTER ARREST.
Only the people involved, ie LE ,Judge and maybe a Grand Jury.