Man Holding Cellphone Mistaken for Gun Shot Dead in Las Vegas

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Newsweek

Man Holding Cellphone Mistaken for Gun Shot Dead in Las Vegas
By Paula Mejia On 1/2/16 at 1:38 PM

A man suspected to be involved in a string of violent felonies in Arizona was shot dead on Thursday after authorities in Las Vegas thought that the cellphone he was holding was a gun.

Keith Childress Jr. was identified on Saturday as the deceased by the Clark County Office of the Coroner, according to The Associated Press.

On Friday, Las Vegas police issued a statement saying that Childress had been under surveillance for some time by U.S. Marshals, who believed the 23-year-old was involved in multiple felonies and an attempted murder in Arizona. The Guardian reports that Childress then fled when federal authorities were on his tail. U.S. Marshals had alerted local authorities and asked for assistance in the case.

Las Vegas police located Childress outside of a home just west of downtown Las Vegas, and were attempting to arrest him on Thursday afternoon. An altercation began with the officers when they ordering Childress to drop what they thought was a gun in his hand, but instead, he “began to advance on the officers, concealing his right hand,” according to a statement from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Two officers then opened fire on him.


Read more: http://www.newsweek.com/man-holding-cellphone-mistaken-gun-shot-dead-las-vegas-410999?piano_t=1

[Wellstone ruled]

1. This one is going to get very interesting in the coming days.

Metro has major issues much like Chi-Town,and this leaves more questions than answers. No tasers or bean bag shot guns. And this was in a Upscale Neighborhood so to speak.

[Jim__]

2. “began to advance on the officers, concealing his right hand,”

In light of all that has happened recently, does anyone believe what the police claim? I certainly can't claim to know the truth in this case. I just can no longer believe what the police say.

[SoLeftIAmRight]

3. I would bet that there was no video

another murder by cop

[uppityperson]

5. Without a video, it is suspicious

[Unknown Beatle]

6. First thing that popped into my mind

after I read the article was, "Bullshit! They murdered him in cold blood."

Anything and everything looks like a gun to the cops these days. If they're so fucking scared, why be a cop?

[uppityperson]

4. Here's a link that is not restricted # of views

http://lasvegassun.com/news/2016/jan/01/police-man-killed-by-officers-was-holding-phone-no/

[Judi Lynn]

15. Thanks for posting the information.

[center]



Keith Childress, Jr. [/center]

[christx30]

27. From ABC news:

"A jury convicted the 23-year-old of burglary, armed robbery, kidnapping, theft and aggravated assault."

Not an innocent guy. A violent guy. And he didn't follow orders from the cops to drop what he had. They thought it was a gun, and he didn't do anything to set them straight.
He brought about his own death.

[christx30]

7. Interesting case:

Here we have a suspected violent person that was cornered. If the police are to be believed, he was holding something, wouldn't drop it when ordered to, and advanced on the officers. Looks to me like he was still trying to get away, hoping to bluff his way out. Holding an object out of view of officers, refusing to drop it, and advancing on officers implies a threat.

[840high]

11. Yep - I did not

expect officers to second guess what he might be holding.

[dbackjon]

18. He wasn't suspected he was a convicted felon

[Proserpina]

8. "Suspected"

Were any of these suspicions verified/justified?

"Attempted to arrest him" well, shooting somebody dead certainly arrests their future movements.

The police have got to be broken of the notion that they can be judge, jury, and executioner without any consequences.

[dbackjon]

17. He was convicted and fled

Before his sentencing he is a convicted felon of crimes involving weapons

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

25. We should get rid of the tazers

if all they are going to use them for is torturing people. When the opportunity comes to use them for what they're meant for - they just shoot 'em with their guns.

Fuck 'em all!

[Bernin]

9. I don't believe

a word the police say anymore.
If I did I would somehow think an infant was to blame for a SWAT team detonating a grenade on his face.

[trillion]

22. +100000

[azurnoir]

10. ah so is cell phone the new hero sandwich?

[rizlaplus]

12. I think we have to accept what the police are telling us

... is a sentence we won't be hearing said too much in 2016 .... if at all.

[RoccoR5955]

13. Yet another case of police

being judge, jury and executioner.

[KentuckyWoman]

14. So basically

we have 3 choices here.


1. Stevie Wonder can see better than Vegas cops.
2. Vegas cops are so skeered of everything that they panic at the sight of cell phone and start shooting.
3. Vegas cops don't give a fuck any more because it's obvious cops can shoot anyone they like with impunity.

[christx30]

24. Or maybe it's:

Violent (convicted) felon runs from cops. Implies he has a weapon. Refuses to surrender. Refuses orders to drop what he's holding and show his hands. Is shot dead by police. It's like if someone shoved the pocket of their pants forward and pretended to have a weapon. If someone did that to you in a park and demanded your money, you'd have a reasonable fear of imminent death.
This isn't a Tamir Rice thing at all. This is a violent guy trying to run from the cops, and lost his life in a violent way. Not exactly a tragedy. The cops aren't going to be charged, nor should they.

[LanternWaste]

26. You appear to be purposefully conflating 'imply' and 'infer.'

You appear to be purposefully conflating 'imply' and 'infer.'

[dbackjon]

16. The article doesn't give the full story

He was convicted of assault and fled before his sentencing

His crimes included assault with a deadly weapon

He was basically an escaped felon who had used a weapon in previous crimes

[truthisfreedom]

19. Huh?

Wha?

[dbackjon]

20. Damn phone. Edited

[jmowreader]

21. The article implies there were bystanders

Interviewing them should bring SOME light on this thing...

[Taitertots]

23. Will we ever see the video from Keith Childress's phone?

There is no mention of the only objective account of what happened. Where is the video?