HollyMatkinLouisville, KY – An armed robbery suspect was fatally shot by police on Tuesday, after he pointed a gun at an officer during a foot pursuit (video below).
Louisville Metro Police released three bodycam videos of the fatal encounter on Wednesday.
The incident began at approximately 12 p.m., after police received a report that a man had robbed a Metro PCS store, then fled on foot, the Courier Journal reported.
Officer Joshua Weyer spotted the suspect, later identified as 21-year-old Demonjhea Jordan, on foot in a neighborhood approximately one mile away from the Metro PCS store.
As Officer Weyer approached, Jordan, who appeared to be carrying something covered by a red cloth, began to run away.
The cloth fell to the ground as he fled, revealing a handgun that he pointed at Officer Weyer a moment later.
Officer Weyer opened fire as he chased Jordan through the neighborhood.
The gunman was also shot by Officer Kody Despain, Officer Benjamin Dean, and Detective Joseph Fox, the Courier Journal reported.
One officer discharged his weapon through the windshield of his patrol vehicle, as he pulled up to the scene, the video showed.
Jordan collapsed to the ground as the officers converged on him, but continued to point his weapon at police, WLKY reported.
A black handgun was later seen lying on sidewalk between Jordan’s legs, the video showed.
“Where’s he shot at?” one officer asked as they assessed Jordan’s wounds.
“Everywhere,” another officer responded. “In the front, in the back, arm…”
Jordan was rushed to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, Jefferson County deputy coroner Wayne Pryse told the Courier Journal.
Although there had been concerns that one officer might have sustained a gunshot wound to the leg, it was later determined that no officers had been injured.
According to Lieutenant Aaron Crowell, the Louisville Metro Police Public Integrity Unit said that “multiple sources of information” indicated that Jordan also fired his weapon during the altercation. Lt. Crowell did not identify those sources.
Some have questioned why Jordan was shot so many times – a question Louisville Metro Police Chief Steve Conrad was also asked during the press conference.
“A couple of things: first off, officers are going to be able to use force – in this case deadly force – in order to protect themselves or others from death or physical injury,” Chief Conrad said, according to WDRB.
“Again, this is a dangerous job. We know that coming into the job,” the chief added, according to the Courier Journal. “We hope and pray we never have to use deadly force, but this is a situation where officers were confronted with deadly force and they responded in a manner — at least based on the preliminary investigation — consistent with police practices and training.”
The officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative reassignment, pending the ongoing investigation, WLKY reported.
Jordan was on probation at the time of his death, following 2017 charges for carrying a handgun without a license, and recklessness with a deadly weapon, WAVE reported.
His attorney pleaded guilty on Jordan’s behalf just three weeks ago.
You can see the video of the shooting below. Officer 2 at the 5 minute park shoots through his windshield. WARNING – Graphic Content: