LAS VEGAS (AP) - A 39-year-old man who was shot and killed last week by Las Vegas police refused to drop a knife as he came out an apartment during a call about a domestic assault, a department official said.
Christopher M. Gatewood is seen on police body-worn camera footage yelling at officers and taking a step forward before he was shot by two officers and hit with stun gun darts by a third officer, Assistant Clark County Sheriff Charles Hank told reporters Monday.
Gatewood’s girlfriend told police that he was inside with a kitchen knife and beat her before officers arrived shortly before noon Thursday at a downtown budget apartment complex near the Las Vegas Strip.
Hank said Gatewood had been arrested during previous domestic disputes.
“Gatewood told her, ’If you call the cops, I’m going to hurt them or make them shoot me,’” Hank said of the woman, who was not identified.
Gatewood appeared to challenge the officers, shouting profanities when they told him to show them his hands, and then stepping forward saying, “What are you gonna do?” as he was shot.
Police later found evidence in the apartment of methamphetamine use and that Gatewood had a self-inflicted knife wound on his right wrist, Hank said.
The officers involved in the shooting were Rafael Camacho, 28, a four-year officer, and his rookie officer trainee, 28-year-old Kenshin Rose. Both were placed on paid leave pending departmental and district attorney reviews of the shooting.
Hank said Camacho fired eight shots and Rose fired four times. The name of the officer who fired the stun gun was not made public.
Gatewood was pronounced dead at the scene. The Clark County coroner said he was hit multiple times.
The shooting was the fourth this year involving Las Vegas police, including two that resulted in deaths.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.