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Las Vegas police fatally shoot suspect holding a cellphone mistaken for a gun Las Vegas police fatally shoot suspect holding a cellphone mistaken for a gun
(about 2 hours later)
Authorities on Saturday identified a man they said was a suspect in an attempted murder, who was fatally shot by Las Vegas police officers after they mistook his cellphone for a gun. A man who was fatally shot by Las Vegas police while holding a cellphone that was mistaken for a gun had recently been convicted of multiple crimes in Arizona, his attorney said on Saturday.
The Clark County office of the coroner said 23-year-old Keith Childress Jr died from multiple gunshot wounds. It ruled his death a homicide. Brad Reinhart last had contact with his client, Keith Childress Jr, 23, last month when a jury was set to issue a verdict in his trial for stealing marijuana and guns from a Phoenix home in 2013. Reinhart said he texted Childress to be at the courthouse, but he never showed up.
The shooting occurred on Thursday as the officers were assisting US marshals in arresting Childress, who is accused of multiple violent felonies in Arizona. “He didn’t show up for the final hearing,” Reinhart said. “They had a warrant out for him.”
Police said Childress was found outside a home and his right hand held what they believed to be a firearm. Officers told him to drop his weapon but say he began advancing toward them. Las Vegas police said they were assisting US marshals in arresting Childress because he was accused of multiple violent felonies in Arizona including attempted murder. Reinhart said while Childress’ crimes were serious, they never included a charge of attempted murder.
Two officers opened fire. According to Maricopa County superior court records, a jury convicted Childress on 17 December of burglary, armed robbery, kidnapping, aggravated assault and theft.
Childress was pronounced dead at the scene. The Clark County office of the coroner identified Childress on Saturday and said he died from multiple gunshot wounds. His death was ruled a homicide.
A Phoenix attorney who represented Childress said on Saturday his client was wanted for missing his trial for multiple crimes, none of which was attempted murder. The shooting occurred on Thursday after Childress had been under surveillance and fled from federal authorities, Las Vegas police said in a statement. Childress was found outside a home west of downtown. Police said his right hand held what they believed to be a firearm.
Brad Reinhart said he last had contact with Keith Childress Jr on 17 December, when Childress was supposed to attend the verdict of his trial in Phoenix. A jury convicted the 23-year-old of burglary, armed robbery, kidnapping, theft and aggravated assault. 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.
Las Vegas police said in a statement issued on Friday that the then-unidentified man had been under surveillance and fled from federal authorities who then called Las Vegas police for help in the search. Police later said Childress was actually holding a cellphone.
He was found outside a home west of downtown. Police spokesman officer Larry Hadfield said no officers, agents or bystanders were injured in the shooting that ensued. No officers, agents or bystanders were injured, Police spokesman Larry Hadfield said.
Police captain Matt McCarthy of the Las Vegas department’s office of internal oversight and constitutional policing said the officers shot because the confrontation was in a residential area and involved a man wanted for attempted murder who they thought was holding a gun. Captain Matt McCarthy of the Las Vegas department’s office of internal oversight and constitutional policing said the officers shot at the man because the confrontation was in a residential area and involved a man wanted for attempted murder who they thought was holding a gun.
“The suspect did not listen, quickly began to advance on the officers, concealing his right hand, which the officers believed was holding a firearm,” McCarthy said in a video message that accompanied the police statement.“The suspect did not listen, quickly began to advance on the officers, concealing his right hand, which the officers believed was holding a firearm,” McCarthy said in a video message that accompanied the police statement.
The two officers who shot Childress have not been identified but they are expected to be named soon, in line with department policy. The two officers who shot Childress have not been identified, but they are expected to be named soon in line with department policy.
Reinhart said Childress’ family wanted answers and he planned to inquire into the shooting. He said the description from police made it appear as though Childress wanted officers to shoot him.
“That did not strike me as the type of guy he was. He had two kids and a kid on the way,” Reinhart said.
It was the 16th shooting in which an officer opened fire or was shot at in 2015 in the Las Vegas area.It was the 16th shooting in which an officer opened fire or was shot at in 2015 in the Las Vegas area.
Childress and three other men, including his half-brother, were charged with forcibly entering a Phoenix home in March 2013 and stealing marijuana and weapons. But Childress was not the ring leader, Reinhart said.
“He definitely got caught up in a bad situation,” Reinhart said. “But, he wasn’t a violent kind of guy.”