List of killings by law enforcement officers in the United States, April 2017

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This is a list of people reported killed by non-military law enforcement officers in the United States in April 2017, whether in the line of duty or not, and regardless of reason or method. The listing documents the occurrence of a death, making no implications regarding wrongdoing or justification on the part of the person killed or officer involved. Killings are arranged by date of the incident that caused death. Different death dates, if known, are noted in the description.

The table below lists 17 people.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by with reliable sources.


April 2017[]

Date Name (age) of deceased State (city) Description
2017-04-01 Phosowath Sengphong (60) Louisiana (Iberia Parish) A man was fatally shot by an Iberia Parish Sheriff's Office deputy after he allegedly brandished a knife during a domestic violence investigation on Saturday afternoon at Spencer Loop, according to the Louisiana State Police.[1][2]
2017-04-01 Nengmy Vang (45) Wisconsin (Wausau) According to Investigators the victim was a suspect in multiple homicide incidents, Nengmy Vang, 45, was in the hospital for injuries he sustained during a standoff with police. The Department of Justice said Saturday morning that Vang sustained what were originally believed to be nonfatal gunshot wounds, but after a week of medical treatment at the hospital, he succumbed to his injuries and died at approximately 1:28 a.m. on April 1. Vang allegedly shot and killed four people on Wednesday in Marathon County.[3][4]
2017-04-05 Austin Snyder (22) Arkansas (Little Rock) According to law enforcement officers Austin Snyder was shot and killed after he attempted to flee officers in a stolen GMC Yukon. He was allegedly wanted on multiple felony warrants.[5]
2017-04-06 Richard Xavier Summers (49) Texas (Balch Springs) According to Sheriff, Summers was inside an Uber vehicle when the vehicle was pulled over afterwards he refused to exit the vehicle and shot at deputies from inside the car, Six deputies fired back at Summers, killing him. Summers was allegedly wanted on a fraud charge.[6]
2017-04-08 Gregory Kever (25) Wisconsin (La Crosse) According to a release, officers were called to the scene at 2214 Peters Drive Saturday for a report of a man acting erratically in the hallways of an apartment complex. officers arrived on scene and located Kever in the parking lot of the apartment complex allegedly carrying a large knife. Police say Officer used verbal commands, but Kever allegedly refused to drop the knife. Kever charged at an officer while still armed with the knife. At that point Officers fired his weapon killing him on spot.[7]
2017-04-10 Jeffrey James Findlay (30) Ohio (Cleveland) Police were called to the 3800 block of Mapledale Avenue Sunday evening after a neighbor said she saw Findlay pointing something at his ex-girlfriend. Police say Findlay was in the driveway in front of the home allegedly with a gun when they arrived. Officers tried to get him drop the gun, subsequent to that, shots were fired and he was killed.[8]
2017-04-12 Zelalem Eshetu Ewnetu (28) California (Florence) According to the LAPD, officers were responding to a burglary when they found Ewnetu sitting in his car. Officers approached him after smelling marijuana coming from his vehicle. He allegedly refused to exit his car when asked. Authorities say that when they tried to remove him from the car, Ewnetu allegedly brandished a gun and aimed it at the officers. The deputies then fired at Ewentu, shooting and killing him on-site.[9]
2017-04-12 Kenneth Johnson (25) Pennsylvania (Reading) Police were called to a domestic dispute in the 700 block of Pear Street at 1:48 p.m., where a 31-year-old woman said her boyfriend allegedly assaulted her and then fled. Police found the suspect Johnson in an alley and tried to apprehend him, but he resisted and a struggle ensued. During the struggle, the police officer deployed his Taser, striking the man, who fell to the ground. He later died at hospital.[10]
2017-04-13 Thomas N. Gezotis Jr. (25) Connecticut (Suffield) Police attempted to arrest Gezotis after tracking a stolen vehicle to a bar. An officer shot and killed Gezotis after he allegedly pointed a gun at police.[11]
2017-04-14 Shands, Charles (33) Spanaway, Washington After carjacking a vehicle, Shands crashed into a utility box. The vehicle caught fire. Officers reportedly tried to help Shands get out of the vehicle, but say he exited the vehicle armed. Five deputies fired at him from two locations until he was dead.[12]
2017-04-15 Olugbalah Ridley (33) Arkansas (West Memphis) Police in Arkansas fatally shot an Indianapolis man after responding to a report of an armed robbery over the weekend. Police say Ridley allegedly brandished a gun when officers approached him and then officers opened fire. Ridley was pronounced dead at the scene.[13]
2017-04-18 Keith Price (21) Delaware (New Castle) Detectives from the county police's special investigations squad were seeking to arrest Keith Price, he was the suspect in a previous shooting, Officers found him driving through Wilmington alone in a green Honda Civic and called for marked county police vehicles to assist with stopping his vehicle, officers then exited their vehicles and attempted to arrest Price. He allegedly refused to comply with officers' commands, afterwards an officer fired his handgun at Price killing him on site.[14]
2017-04-20 Damarius Butts (19) Washington (Seattle) The incident began shortly after 1 p.m. when Seattle police officers were called to a robbery at a convenience store. Two suspects—a 17-year-old female and a 19-year-old male allegedly armed with a handgun—robbed the store and fled north on 1st Avenue, police said. Afterwards officers caught up to the suspects within minutes. A struggle ensued, The male suspect ran to the entryway of an office building, where he exchanged gunfire with police, He later died from multiple gunshot wounds.[15]
2017-04-19 Robert Lee Clark Jr. (30) South Carolina (Summerville) Robert Lee Clark Jr., 30, of Goose Creek, died after his Harley Davidson collided with the deputy's SUV on Main Street, near Richardson Avenue, according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol. The officer involved in the crash, Deputy James Vansant, has since been placed on leave pending an administrative review, said Berkeley County sheriff's officials.[16]
2017-04-21 Isaiah Murrietta (16) California (Fresno) After receiving a report of altercation at a parking lot, A police officer shot and fatally wounded the young teen during a foot chase on Saturday, Fresno police say. Even though 16-year-old Isaiah Murrietta was not carrying a gun, officers said they had reason to believe he was armed and dangerous.[17] Police say shooting was justified. Murietta's family has filed a civil rights lawsuit against the Fresno Police Department.[18] The civil trial is scheduled for October, 2020.[19]
2017-04-22 William D Spates (39) Michigan (Portage) According to Police Chief, the shooting happened about 1:45 a.m. Saturday after a city officer made a traffic stop. He says actions by the person led to the shooting but didn't disclose further details.[20]
2017-04-29 Jordan Edwards (15) Texas (Balch Springs) According to police correspondent, the officers were responding around 11 p.m. to a 911 call "reporting several underage kids drunk walking around," and upon arrival, they allegedly heard gunshots and became engaged in an "unknown altercation with a vehicle backing down the street towards the officers in an aggressive manner". An officer fired multiple rifle rounds striking Edwards and killing him.[21][22] The police later admitted the vehicle was not moving toward the officers, but rather away from them.[23] On August 28, the shooter was found guilty of murder.[24]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Iberia Sheriff's Office: Suspect dead after officer-involved shooting". KLFY-TV. April 1, 2017.
  2. ^ "Suspect killed in New Iberia officer involved shooting identified". KLFY-TV. April 3, 2017.
  3. ^ "Update: Wausau Area Shooting Suspect Dies". WSAU.
  4. ^ "Wisc. man accused of killing wife's divorce lawyer dies". New York Daily News.
  5. ^ Mark Moseley (April 6, 2017). "Update: LRPD Identifies Man Shot, Killed by Officer". KARZ-TV.
  6. ^ Sherri Lonon (April 7, 2017). "Fugitive Killed In Largo Parking Lot: Details Released". Largo Patch. Largo, Florida.
  7. ^ "La Crosse Police to investigate fatal shooting in Eau Claire". Chippewa Herald.
  8. ^ Jen Steer (April 10, 2017). "Suspect shot by Cleveland police after threatening ex dies". WJW (TV).
  9. ^ "Man Fatally Shot by Deputies Responding to Burglary Call in South L.A. Area". KTLA. April 12, 2017.
  10. ^ Karen Shuey (April 14, 2017). "Reading man dies after police use Taser on him". Reading Eagle.
  11. ^ Monica Ricci (November 2, 2017). "Report: Suffield officer who shot, killed West Springfield man acted appropriately". WWLP.
  12. ^ "Deputies involved in fatal Frederickson shooting are identified". thenewstribune. Retrieved 2018-03-10.
  13. ^ Maggie McNeary (April 17, 2017). "Police name suspect killed by officer after Arkansas hotel robbery". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
  14. ^ "Man shot, killed in Del. 'confrontation' pointed gun at cops, was wanted for attempted murder". WTXF-TV. April 20, 2017.
  15. ^ Lynsi Burton (April 21, 2017). "Police: Robbers in cop shooting stole food and beer". Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
  16. ^ Andrew Knapp (April 20, 2017). "Berkeley County deputy placed on leave after video shows cruiser colliding with motorcycle during chase". The Post and Courier. Charleston, S.C.
  17. ^ Cory James (April 17, 2017). "Teen turns self in after brother critically shot by police; both accused in murder". WLS-TV.
  18. ^ Pablo Lopez (March 7, 2018). "Lawsuit accuses sergeant of shooting unarmed teen". The Fresno Bee. Fresno, CA.
  19. ^ Thaddeus Miller and Bryant-Jon Anteola (October 23, 2019). "Fresno chief, police union stand by cop who fatally shot teen as outrage builds". The Fresno Bee. Fresno, CA.
  20. ^ Lauren Cross (April 22, 2017). "Name in Portage fatal police-involved shooting released". The Times of Northwest Indiana.
  21. ^ "15-year-old Jordan Edwards was trying to leave a house party. Then police killed him". Vox.
  22. ^ "'Great kid' killed in officer-involved shooting in Balch Springs". WFAA. May 1, 2017.
  23. ^ "Jordan Edwards shooting: Texas police change account of death". BBC News. May 2, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  24. ^ nypost.com: White cop found guilty of murder for killing unarmed black teen
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