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James Williams, 46, was repeatedly firing an AR-15 into the air in celebration of the New Year when Canton

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2022/01/10/jame-j10.html

https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/2022/03/16/canton-police-officer-named-federal-lawsuit-amid-shooting/7059129001/

https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/2022/01/08/canton-police-shooting-james-roe-williams-canton/9135616002/

https://www.wkyc.com/video/news/local/canton/canton-police-officer-who-fatally-shot-man-on-new-years-day-cleared-of-wrongdoing/95-a4e2f470-2d6f-494e-a77c-90514d10a56f

Jackson Parish Sheriff’s deputies responded to a domestic disturbance call. It was reported that Dobbins allegedly broke into a home and threatened to kill another resident. Deputies located him and claim he pointed a weapon at them. They shot and killed Dobbins. No BWC or eyewitnesses are available to verify this narrative

https://www.knoe.com/2022/01/02/state-police-investigate-new-years-day-officer-involved-shooting-jackson-parish/

https://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/2022/01/02/jackson-parish-man-dead-after-police-involved-shooting-new-years-day/9072252002/

On 01/01/2022, Marion County sheriff’s deputies went to a business at 4001 W Silver Springs Blvd in Ocala and attempted to arrest Trent Paschal. Deputies reported that Paschal fired a gun, and deputies returned fire. Reporting later stated Paschal died by suicide during the encounter.

https://www.wcjb.com/2022/01/01/deputies-involved-in-shooting-in-ocala/
https://www.khou.com/article/news/crime/florida-shooting-marion-county-sheriff-trent-paschal/285-cc0765b8-3b0a-44a7-acde-156dd19d518d
https://abc13.com/florida-deputies-shooting-trent-paschal-marion-county-sheriffs-office/11440972/
https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/marion-county-deputies-involved-in-shooting-after-attempt-to-arrest-suspect

On 01/01/2022, Allen County Sheriff’s Department deputies went to the 10000 block of Hickory Tree Road in Fort Wayne. Deputies encountered 34-year-old Blake Stephen Parton at the residence. Deputies reported that Parton fired a gun during the incident. Authorities later determined that Parton died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound during the encounter. Officials classified the death as a suicide that occurred during a police response.

https://www.wane.com/news/crime/2-found-dead-in-northeast-fort-wayne/
https://www.wane.com/news/local-news/deaths-in-northeast-fort-wayne-ruled-a-murder-suicide/
https://www.wpta21.com/2022/01/02/two-people-found-dead-northeast-fort-wayne/
https://www.21alivenews.com/2022/01/02/two-dead-after-shooting-northeast-fort-wayne/

On 12/31/2021, Meridian Police responded to reports of a disturbance at a residence in the 1500 block of 21st Street in Meridian. Officers arrived and encountered a man covered in blood who was holding firearms. Police reported that the man fired at officers. Officers opened fire inside the residence. During the exchange, officers shot and killed the man and also shot and killed an adult female inside the home. Reporting indicates the female was not the person firing at officers. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation took control of the case. Officers were placed on administrative leave pending review.

https://www.wtok.com/2022/01/01/officer-involved-shooting/
https://www.wjtv.com/news/state/mbi-investigating-officer-involved-shooting-in-meridian/

On 12/30/2021, Timothy Eulis Coleman, 50, of Honaker, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound as Russell County Sheriff’s Office personnel approached him in the Cleveland area of Russell County. Coleman had been sought following the fatal shooting of Scottie Ray Holmes earlier that day. Contemporary reporting states that authorities obtained a first-degree murder warrant for Coleman.
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According to reporting based on information from the Russell County Sheriff’s Office, witnesses alleged that Coleman shot Holmes following an argument and then left the scene. Law enforcement subsequently searched for Coleman and the vehicle in which he had left.
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At approximately 3 p.m., the Russell County Sheriff’s Office located the vehicle on Sykes Drive in Cleveland. As law-enforcement personnel approached Coleman, he retrieved a pistol and shot himself. Officers attempted lifesaving measures before Coleman was transported to a hospital.
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Coleman survived the initial encounter but died on 12/31/2021. His obituary independently confirms his full name as Timothy Eulis Coleman Sr., his age as 50, his Honaker residence, and his death on December 31. Under the database rule using the date of the fatal police encounter rather than a later hospital death, the Date field remains 12/30/2021.
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Coleman was not shot by law enforcement. This case qualifies for inclusion because he fatally shot himself while police were actively closing in to arrest him, making the appropriate database classification suicide under police duress.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The individual Russell County Sheriff’s Office personnel who approached Coleman have not been publicly identified in the located reporting.

https://www.supertalk929.com/2022/01/03/russell-county-murder-suspect-dead-from-self-inflicted-gunshot-wound/
https://www.supertalk929.com/2021/12/30/russell-county-virginia-authorities-searching-for-armed-and-dangerous-murder-suspect/
https://www.hurstscottfuneralhomes.com/m/obituaries/Timothy-Coleman-Sr/

On 12/31/2021, Riverside County sheriff’s deputies and Beaumont police shot and killed Dennis McHugh, 44, of Glendora, at a Del Taco drive-through in the 400 block of East 4th Street in Beaumont. Riverside County coroner information placed his death shortly after 2:30 a.m.
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The encounter originated several hours earlier. At approximately 9:57 p.m. on December 30, Riverside County sheriff’s deputies responded to a reported domestic-violence incident in the 17000 block of Ridge Canyon Drive in Woodcrest. McHugh was gone when deputies arrived. Police reported that he was wanted on felony warrants involving assault with a deadly weapon and kidnapping and also cited domestic-violence-related allegations, vandalism and violation of a restraining order.
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The search continued into December 31. At approximately 1:07 a.m., a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department helicopter located McHugh’s pickup in the Del Taco drive-through on East 4th Street. Riverside County deputies and Beaumont police initially approached the truck, with additional personnel from Banning Police Department and the California Highway Patrol responding to assist.
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Body-camera and helicopter video released in February 2022 documented the attempted arrest. Police ordered McHugh to turn off the truck and get out. The video shows the pickup moving into police and civilian vehicles as officers surrounded it. Police alleged McHugh was attempting to escape by using the truck to ram his way through the vehicles.
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During the collision sequence, a Banning police officer on foot moved down a steep embankment. After McHugh’s truck struck a civilian vehicle, that vehicle went down the embankment and landed on the officer, trapping him beneath it. Gunfire from law enforcement followed during the continuing confrontation.
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Both an officer and a Riverside County sheriff’s deputy fired during the encounter. After the gunfire, police made repeated attempts to have McHugh exit the truck. When he did not respond, deputies approached and found him dead inside.
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The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department released body-camera and helicopter footage in February 2022. The shooting investigation involved the Sheriff’s Department Force Investigations Detail, Central Homicide Unit and Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. The agencies also announced internal administrative reviews of the involved personnel’s actions.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The publicly available reporting reviewed for this rebuild does not identify the individual officer and deputy who fired at McHugh. Contemporary reports state that the involved personnel were placed on administrative leave but their names were not released.

https://kesq.com/news/crime/2022/01/11/suspect-killed-in-beaumont-deputy-involved-shooting-identified-as-glendora-man/
https://kesq.com/news/crime/2022/02/15/body-cam-footage-of-deadly-deputy-involved-shooting-on-new-years-eve-released/
https://www.foxla.com/news/beaumont-del-taco-drive-thru-shooting-dennis-mchugh
https://abc7.com/post/del-taco-drive-thru-deputy-involved-shooting-beaumont-riverside-county/11572019/
https://www.ktvu.com/news/video-released-in-fatal-socal-del-taco-drive-thru-police-shooting-shows-suspect-ramming-truck
https://patch.com/california/banning-beaumont/body-cam-video-released-after-suspect-shot-dead-beaumont
https://patch.com/california/banning-beaumont/suspect-killed-law-enforcement-beaumont-idd-coroner
https://myvalleynews.com/blog/2022/01/12/man-killed-in-confrontation-with-police-on-new-years-eve-identified/

On 12/31/2021, Meridian Police responded to reports of a disturbance at a residence in the 1500 block of 21st Street in Meridian. Officers arrived and encountered a man covered in blood who was holding firearms. Police reported that the man fired at officers. Officers opened fire inside the residence. During the exchange, officers shot and killed the man and also shot and killed an adult female inside the home. Reporting indicates the female was not the person firing at officers. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation took control of the case. Officers were placed on administrative leave pending review.

https://www.wtok.com/2022/01/01/officer-involved-shooting/
https://www.wjtv.com/news/state/mbi-investigating-officer-involved-shooting-in-meridian/

On 12/30/2021, police across multiple jurisdictions tracked Johnny C. Martin Jr., 36, after shootings in Ocilla and a carjacking in Douglas. Officers located the stolen vehicle and chased it until it left the roadway into a field near Martinez Lane. Officers approached and found Martin inside with a gunshot wound to the head and a firearm in his hand; he died at the scene. Reporting states the series of events began with multiple shootings at community locations and escalated across counties before police converged on the vehicle.

https://thegeorgiasun.com/news/south-georgia-shooting-spree-ends-after-suspect-kills-himself/
https://davistysonfuneralhome.com/index.php/obituaries/337-mr-johnny-martin-jr

On 12/29/2021, Montgomery County Police Department officers Nathan Lenhart, Karli Dorsey, Dennis Tejada and Eric Kessler shot and killed Osman Sesay, 27, during a traffic stop at Wayne Avenue and Dartmouth Avenue in Silver Spring. The Maryland Attorney General's Independent Investigations Division investigated the shooting and later released body-camera footage, dashboard-camera footage and a detailed investigative report.
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The encounter began at approximately 4:25 a.m., when an off-duty Montgomery County police officer was alerted to a shooting outside a restaurant at 904 Bonifant Street. The officer received a description of the vehicle allegedly connected to that shooting from bystanders and relayed it to on-duty officers. Four minutes later, police saw a vehicle matching that description about half a mile away near Wayne and Dartmouth avenues. Officer Nathan Lenhart initiated the traffic stop.
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Sesay was a rear-seat passenger, rather than the driver as some early accounts reported. During the stop, Sesay got out of the rear passenger side of the vehicle while officers ordered him to remain inside. Police alleged that Sesay then pointed a handgun toward officers. The subsequently released police video shows Sesay emerging from the vehicle and raising what authorities identified as a handgun toward police.
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Lenhart, Dorsey, Tejada and Kessler opened fire. Sesay was struck multiple times and pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators recovered a handgun near him. The Maryland Attorney General reported that the officers' body-worn cameras were activated during the encounter, and dashboard-camera footage also captured portions of the shooting.
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The Maryland Attorney General's Independent Investigations Division conducted the investigation under a state law that had taken effect on 10/01/2021 requiring the Attorney General's office to investigate police-involved deaths. Investigators reviewed body-camera footage, officer and civilian interviews, DNA and firearms evidence, autopsy findings and the involved officers' personnel records.
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Because Montgomery and Howard counties had an agreement providing for reciprocal prosecutorial review of fatal police uses of force, the completed investigation was reviewed by the Howard County State's Attorney's Office. Prosecutors concluded that the officers' actions were legally justified and declined to file criminal charges.
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Sesay had previously sued Montgomery County police officers in federal court after being acquitted in 2018 of attempted first-degree murder and a firearm charge. His lawsuit alleged that a Montgomery County detective used false or misleading information to obtain the arrest warrant and asserted federal constitutional and Maryland false-arrest and false-imprisonment claims. This earlier litigation is notable because Sesay had already brought allegations of improper investigative conduct against the same police department several years before his fatal encounter with its officers.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The four officers who fired were Nathan Lenhart, Karli Dorsey, Dennis Tejada and Eric Kessler. The Maryland Attorney General's investigation included review of personnel records for the involved officers. The completed investigation was submitted for independent prosecutorial review, and the Howard County State's Attorney's Office declined to charge any of the four officers.

https://oag.maryland.gov/resources-info/Pages/police-involved-incidents.aspx
https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/SAO/Resources/Files/Police-Involved_Fatal_Incident_Montgomery_County_December_29_2021.pdf
https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/SAO/mediacenter/pressrelease2021.html
https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MDAG/bulletins/3055119
https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/suspect-officers-involved-in-deadly-silver-spring-shootout-identified/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2021/12/31/authorities-id-man-shot-by-police/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/01/12/police-shooting-victim-pointed-gun/
https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/maryland/mddce/8%3A2018cv01924/425012/23/

On 12/29/2021, Paterson Police Department Detective Mohammed Bashir shot and killed Thelonious McKnight, 25, near East Main Street and Hillman Street in Paterson. The New Jersey Attorney General's Office investigated the killing through its Office of Public Integrity and Accountability. McKnight was pronounced dead at the scene at 9:11 p.m.
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The encounter began after a Paterson detective monitoring city surveillance cameras observed McKnight and another man and believed both appeared to be carrying handguns. Police subsequently detained the other man on Jefferson Street. Detectives then encountered McKnight near East Main and Hillman shortly before 9 p.m.
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According to the state's later investigation, detectives approached McKnight and ordered him to remove his hands from his pockets. Police alleged that McKnight did not comply and ran into an alley. Detectives pursued him on foot.
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Police alleged that McKnight pulled a 9mm handgun from his clothing and pointed it at a detective at close range. Investigators said McKnight initially pulled the trigger while the gun's safety was engaged, then disengaged the safety and exchanged gunfire with police. Detective Mohammed Bashir fired his .40-caliber service weapon, fatally striking McKnight.
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Investigators recovered fourteen .40-caliber cartridge casings attributed to Bashir's gunfire. A 9mm handgun was recovered near McKnight along with nine 9mm cartridge casings. Police and emergency medical personnel attempted first aid before a physician from St. Joseph's University Medical Center pronounced McKnight dead.
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The New Jersey Attorney General subsequently released extensive evidence from the encounter, including civilian and storefront surveillance video, city CCTV footage, police body-camera footage, radio transmissions and 911 recordings. McKnight's family was permitted to review recordings before their public release.
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McKnight's family disputed the official account of the shooting. His sister, Janet Rodriguez, later filed a federal civil-rights lawsuit against Bashir, the City of Paterson and the Paterson Police Department. The federal complaint was filed on 12/29/2023, exactly two years after McKnight's death.
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The Attorney General's Office presented the completed investigation to a state grand jury. Evidence presented included witness interviews, photographs, autopsy findings and video from multiple sources. On 12/11/2023, the grand jury voted not to file criminal charges against Bashir.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
Detective Mohammed Bashir was publicly identified by the New Jersey Attorney General as the Paterson officer who fatally shot McKnight. A later federal civil-rights lawsuit filed by McKnight's sister named Bashir, the City of Paterson and the Paterson Police Department as defendants.
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The Paterson Police Department had substantial documented misconduct problems surrounding the period of McKnight's killing. A federal investigation resulted in convictions of multiple Paterson officers for a scheme involving illegal stops and searches, theft of money from residents, excessive force and falsified police reports. Paterson Sergeant Michael Cheff was convicted of conspiring to violate civil rights and falsifying a police report, while officers Jonathan Bustios, Eudy Ramos, Matthew Torres, Frank Toledo and Daniel Pent also pleaded guilty or were convicted and subsequently sentenced in the federal investigation.
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The department's broader problems ultimately prompted extraordinary state intervention. In 2023, following additional police killings and a continuing crisis of public confidence, the New Jersey Attorney General assumed control of Paterson Police Department operations. McKnight's killing was specifically among the fatal police encounters cited by civil-rights advocates seeking outside investigation of the department.

https://www.rlsmedia.com/article/victim-identified-fatal-police-involved-shooting-paterson
https://www.rlsmedia.com/article/ags-office-releases-videos-related-fatal-police-involved-shooting-paterson
https://newjersey.news12.com/grand-jury-votes-not-to-indict-paterson-police-detective-for-2021-deadly-shooting
https://www.rlsmedia.com/article/nj-grand-jury-declines-charge-paterson-detective-fatal-shooting
https://dockets.justia.com/docket/new-jersey/njdce/2%3A2023cv23414/538529
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/pr/paterson-police-sergeant-convicted-conspiracy-violate-civil-rights-and-filing-false
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/pr/paterson-police-sergeant-sentenced-33-months-prison-conspiracy-violate-civil-rights-and
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/pr/two-paterson-police-officers-sentenced-prison-terms-roles-violating-individuals-civil
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/pr/three-paterson-police-officers-sentenced-roles-violating-individuals-civil-rights

On 12/28/2021, Detroit Police Department officers shot and killed Dwayne McDonald, 62, at an apartment on Owen Street near Woodward Avenue in Detroit. Police had been searching for McDonald in connection with the Christmas Day shooting deaths of his wife, Elaine Fizer, 57, and her 13-year-old adopted daughter, Daunya. Multiple contemporary sources identify him as Dwayne McDonald; one early report spells his first name “Dwane,” but that appears to be a reporting error.
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The underlying investigation began after Fizer and Daunya were found shot to death at their home in the 18000 block of Prevost Street on 12/25/2021. McDonald initially was publicly described by Detroit police as a person of interest rather than conclusively identified as responsible. Police Chief James White said at that stage that investigators did not know whether McDonald was a suspect or potentially another victim and wanted to locate him to determine what had happened.
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By December 28, investigators had obtained information indicating McDonald was inside an apartment near Owen Street and Woodward Avenue. Police conducted surveillance, confirmed his location and obtained or executed a search warrant at the apartment. Two other people were reportedly inside. Police said one of them had provided information instrumental in locating McDonald.
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Police entered after announcing themselves. According to Chief White, McDonald was armed when officers encountered him. A gunshot was fired and police opened fire, killing McDonald. Importantly, White initially said investigators had not yet established who fired the first shot or whether McDonald actually fired at police. Later news accounts characterized McDonald as having fired at officers, but the chief’s contemporaneous statement was more cautious and did not establish that as fact.
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McDonald was pronounced dead at the scene. Police recovered a gun during the encounter. The available reporting does not identify the individual Detroit officers who fired or establish how many officers discharged their weapons.
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The circumstances are particularly relevant because early police statements evolved considerably over several days. On December 25 and 26, McDonald was publicly described as a person of interest whose status as either a suspect or possible victim remained unresolved. By December 28, police described him as wanted in connection with the killings, and subsequent reporting described him as the alleged killer. The earlier statements should therefore be preserved rather than retroactively presenting the murder allegation as an established fact before McDonald was killed.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The Detroit Police Department officers who shot Dwayne McDonald have not been publicly identified in the sources located for this case.
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The department itself had a significant documented pattern of fatal police shootings surrounding McDonald’s death. A later memorandum prepared by the Coalition for Police Transparency and Accountability and submitted in support of federal intervention catalogued several Detroit police killings during 2021, including the deaths of Michael Contrell Adams, Nakita Williams and McDonald, and raised broader concerns about the investigation and oversight of fatal police force in Detroit.
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https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/suspect-down-after-shooting-by-detroit-police-officer-on-citys-east-side
https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/man-wanted-in-double-fatal-shooting-on-christmas-day-shot-killed-by-detroit-police/
https://www.wxyz.com/news/detroit-police-to-provide-update-on-christmas-day-double-homicide
https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/man-accused-of-killing-wife-teen-shot-dead-by-police/
https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/detroit-police-searching-for-person-of-interest-after-woman-13-year-old-found-dead-on-christmas/
https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/mother-and-daughter-fatally-shot-on-christmas-day-police-searching-for-husband-as-person-of-interest
https://www.aclumich.org/app/uploads/2024/02/police_shootings_in_detroit_-_cpta_memo_to_doj.pdf

On 12/27/2021, Boston Police officers responded to reports of multiple gunshots at a residence on Schuyler Street and located three people with gunshot wounds. Officers secured the scene, summoned medical response, and began the investigation. Police determined the adult male involved shot two women during a domestic-violence incident and then shot himself before officers took custody. The man died after transport to a hospital, while both women survived their injuries. Authorities described the incident as domestic in nature and documented police discovery of the victims and emergency response at the scene.

https://www.bostonherald.com/2021/12/28/roxbury-shooting-rampage-man-died-by-suicide-both-women-victims-are-going-to-survive/
https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2021/12/28/man-dead-two-women-injured-in-roxbury-shooting/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Tn7uPPtLzg

On 12/27/2021, Savannah Police Department officers responded at approximately 7:00 p.m. to a 911 report of an armed robbery in progress at Beauty & Beyond, 628 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Savannah. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation later identified the man police killed as Kevin Dubois, 31, of Savannah.
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According to the GBI, officers encountered Dubois holding a handgun and ordered him to drop it. Police alleged that Dubois did not comply and instead ran from the officers. Officers pursued him on foot.
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The GBI reported that during the foot pursuit, Dubois allegedly pointed the handgun toward the pursuing officers. Two Savannah Police Department officers then opened fire and struck him. Contemporary reporting confirms that two officers fired, but their identities were not publicly released at the time.
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Police administered first aid after the shooting. Dubois was transported to a Savannah hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Investigators reported recovering a handgun and bundles of money from the scene.
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Savannah Police Department investigated the reported armed robbery, while the Georgia Bureau of Investigation conducted the independent investigation into the police shooting. The GBI stated that once its investigation was complete, the case would be forwarded to the Eastern Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review.
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The Dubois shooting was the second fatal Savannah Police Department shooting within less than a week. On December 21, officers had also shot and killed Shawn Martin. Contemporary reporting noted that Savannah recorded four police shootings during 2021, compared with two during 2020.
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The shooting also became the 100th police shooting that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation was asked to investigate during 2021.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The two Savannah Police Department officers who shot Kevin Dubois have not been publicly identified in the sources located for this case.
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Savannah Police Department had body-worn cameras widely deployed before this shooting; the department reported in 2016 that all patrol officers were equipped with body cameras. This makes body-camera footage, activation records and the complete GBI investigative file particularly important public-record targets in the Dubois case.
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The agency subsequently faced significant scrutiny over another fatal shooting. The family of Saudi Lee, killed by Savannah officer Ernest Ferguson in 2022, filed a federal wrongful-death lawsuit alleging the department failed to adequately investigate Ferguson’s prior use-of-force history before hiring him. Reporting on that suit stated Ferguson had been investigated or disciplined multiple times for force while previously employed as a state prison guard.
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Savannah Police also faced a separate federal lawsuit stemming from the 2021 death of William Zachery Harvey, who died by suicide while alone in a police interview room. Five officers were fired following that incident, including officers disciplined over policy violations and others over a mocking message concerning Harvey’s death.

https://gbi.georgia.gov/press-releases/2021-12-28/gbi-investigates-officer-involved-shooting-savannah
https://www.wtoc.com/2021/12/28/gbi-investigating-officer-involved-shooting-600-block-mlk-blvd/
https://www.wjcl.com/article/update-robbery-suspect-dead-after-being-shot-by-police-in-savannah/38629241
https://fox28savannah.com/news/local/man-shot-killed-after-pointing-gun-at-officers-running-from-armed-robbery-scene-gbi
https://www.ajc.com/news/gbi-investigates-100th-officer-involved-shooting-of-year/YSGR5K7FENEUDJJUIQL7W7J6OU/
https://savannahpd.org/scmpd-receives-95k-for-more-body-cameras/
https://thecurrentga.org/2024/06/21/family-of-man-killed-by-savannah-officer-files-wrongful-death-lawsuit/
https://www.wabe.org/family-of-man-killed-by-savannah-officer-files-wrongful-death-lawsuit/

On 12/27/2021, Houston Police responded to reports of gunfire in the 3500 block of Corder Street around 2:41 a.m. Officers encountered Christopher Johnson on the roadway wearing a tactical vest and holding a firearm. Officers issued commands and positioned themselves behind patrol vehicles. Police reported Johnson fired toward officers. Officers opened fire and struck him. He died on the roadway. Authorities documented recovery of firearms from the area and transferred the case for internal and external review consistent with departmental policy.

https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2021/12/26/man-dead-after-gunfire-exchanged-with-hpd-officers-in-se-houston-police-say/
https://abc13.com/deputy-involved-shooting-police-camera-body-cam-christopher-johnson/11497357/
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/crime/article/HPD-shooting-Corder-Street-16727632.php

On 12/27/2021, Escondido Police Department officers Armenta and Velasquez shot and killed Roberto Cazares Salgado, 39, after an hours-long police chase through northern San Diego County ended near Mission Avenue and Gamble Street in Escondido. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and later San Diego County District Attorney review identify his full name as Roberto Cazares Salgado.
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The encounter originated with a homicide investigation in Vista. At approximately 5:00 p.m. on December 26, sheriff’s deputies responded to the 1300 block of Teelin Avenue and found Florencio Rodriguez, 42, fatally shot in his driveway. Sheriff’s homicide detectives subsequently identified Cazares Salgado as the person they believed responsible and distributed his information and vehicle description to area law-enforcement agencies.
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According to the subsequent DA investigation, Cazares Salgado went to a cousin’s residence in Escondido after the Vista shooting. His cousin told investigators that he was intoxicated and allegedly pointed a handgun at people at the residence. She accompanied him when he left in his Chevrolet Silverado and remained in the truck during the ensuing police chase.
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At approximately 11:15 p.m. on December 26, Escondido police located Cazares Salgado’s vehicle. The specific initiating reason was not a traffic violation: police were attempting to detain him because San Diego County sheriff’s homicide investigators had issued a regional bulletin identifying him in connection with the Vista killing. When an Escondido patrol vehicle approached with emergency lights activated, Cazares Salgado drove away and police began pursuing him.
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The pursuit traveled from Escondido onto State Route 78 through Vista and toward Oceanside. The DA reported that Cazares Salgado reached speeds as high as 130 mph, ran red lights and disregarded stop signs. Police deployed spike strips, puncturing tires on the truck, but the pursuit continued at reduced speeds.
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The pursuit eventually continued for approximately two hours at slow speed while police communicated with Cazares Salgado and his passenger. Officers Armenta and Velasquez were traveling in an armored BearCat as the pursuit returned to Escondido. At approximately 2:49 a.m. on December 27, police arranged for OnStar to remotely disable the Silverado, bringing it to a stop.
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According to the DA investigation, as the truck stopped Cazares Salgado got out holding a handgun and began firing toward police. Officer Velasquez fired from the roof hatch of the BearCat, while Officer Armenta moved around the rear of the armored vehicle and also fired. Armenta was struck by a bullet that penetrated his ballistic vest and slightly entered his chest.
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Police gunfire struck Cazares Salgado multiple times and he fell beside the driver’s door. Officers recovered the handgun he had been holding as well as a holster and two additional handgun magazines. Officers provided medical aid, and Cazares Salgado was transported to a hospital, where he died. The autopsy determined that he died from multiple gunshot wounds and classified the death as homicide.
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The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office reviewed the fatal shooting after receiving the Escondido Police Department homicide investigation in May 2022. The review included physical evidence, witness information and the circumstances surrounding the pursuit and shooting. On 08/03/2022, the DA concluded that Armenta and Velasquez acted in lawful self-defense and defense of others and declined criminal prosecution.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The San Diego County District Attorney identified the officers who shot Cazares Salgado by their surnames, Armenta and Velasquez. The DA report establishes that both fired during the fatal encounter and that Armenta was struck by gunfire.
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The Escondido Police Department had another fatal police shooting earlier in 2021. Officer Chad Moore shot and killed Steven Olson on 04/21/2021 after police responded to reports of a man striking vehicles with a metal pole. The San Diego County District Attorney subsequently declined to prosecute Moore.
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Public-record data released by Escondido Police for 2021 reported nine civilian misconduct complaints, three of which resulted in sustained findings. The department reported one excessive-force complaint and one biased-policing/racial-profiling complaint that year, neither of which resulted in a sustained finding.

https://www.sdsheriff.gov/Home/Components/News/News/872/16
https://www.sdcda.org/content/MediaRelease/202212/21-139PS%20%28Roberto%20Cazares%29.pdf
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-12-27/police-kill-man-officer-injured-in-shootout-following-pursuit
https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/north-county-news/officer-shot-after-pursuit-ends-in-escondido
https://thecoastnews.com/police-seek-motive-in-escondido-homicide-after-suspect-killed-in-shootout/

On 12/27/2021, Lakewood Police Department Agent Ashley Ferris shot and killed Lyndon James McLeod, 47, near West Alaska Drive and South Vance Street in Lakewood, ending a series of shootings in Denver and Lakewood in which McLeod killed five people and wounded two others, including Ferris. Although some databases associate the case with Denver because the violence began there, McLeod was actually killed in Lakewood, so Lakewood is the correct City field for his fatal encounter with police.
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The violence began at approximately 5:25 p.m. at Sol Tribe Tattoo and Piercing in Denver. Police determined that McLeod killed Alicia Cardenas and Alyssa Gunn-Maldonado and wounded Jimmy Maldonado. He then went to another Denver location and later killed Michael Swinyard. Denver police subsequently encountered McLeod in his van and attempted to apprehend him. McLeod exchanged gunfire with Denver officers and escaped into Lakewood.
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McLeod then went to Lucky 13 Tattoo Parlor at 1550 Kipling Street in Lakewood, where he shot and killed Danny Scofield. At 5:59 p.m., Lakewood Police Agent Brianna Hagan heard the radio description of McLeod's van, and at approximately 6:03 p.m. Hagan and another agent located it traveling east on West Alameda Avenue.
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Lakewood police attempted to apprehend McLeod near the Belmar shopping district. McLeod and police exchanged gunfire, but he again escaped, this time on foot. He entered the Hyatt House hotel and shot desk clerk Sarah Steck, 28, who later died from her injuries.
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At approximately 6:12 p.m., Agent Ashley Ferris encountered McLeod on foot near West Alaska Drive and South Vance Street. Ferris approached McLeod and recognized circumstances indicating that he was the person police were seeking. McLeod was wearing tactical-style clothing that included a vest marked “POLICE.”
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According to the subsequent investigation and video evidence, Ferris saw McLeod reaching toward his waistband and ordered him not to proceed. McLeod drew a handgun and fired at Ferris, striking her in the abdomen. Despite being seriously wounded and falling to the ground, Ferris returned fire and struck McLeod.
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McLeod attempted to move away after being shot but collapsed near Ferris's patrol vehicle. Other officers arrived, secured the scene and pulled the wounded Ferris to safety. McLeod was pronounced dead at the scene. Ferris survived after emergency surgery and an extended hospitalization.
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The First Judicial District Attorney's Office conducted a detailed review of the Lakewood police shootings. Investigators reviewed more than 2,100 photographs, approximately 900 pages of reports and dozens of recorded interviews, as well as video evidence documenting portions of the encounters. District Attorney Alexis King subsequently determined that the officers' use of deadly force was legally justified and declined criminal charges.
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Police disclosed that McLeod had previously come to the attention of Denver law enforcement. Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen said McLeod had been investigated in 2020 and again in early 2021, but neither investigation resulted in state or federal criminal charges. Authorities said McLeod knew most of the people he targeted during the December 27 shootings through previous personal or business relationships.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
Ashley Ferris was publicly identified by Lakewood Police as the agent who fatally shot McLeod. Ferris herself was shot through the abdomen during the encounter but returned fire after falling to the ground. The First Judicial District Attorney's Office later reviewed the shooting and determined that her use of deadly force was legally justified.

https://firstda.co/news-update/da-alexis-king-clears-heroic-officers-responding-to-belmar-shooting-spree/
https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/lyndon-mcleod-suspect-killed-deadly-shootings-lakewood-denver/
https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/lakewood-ashley-ferris-shooting-spree/
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/denver-shooting-spree-lyndon-james-mcleod-targeted-victims/
https://www.denvergazette.com/2021/12/29/injured-lakewood-hero-officer-identified/
https://abcnews.go.com/US/heroic-cop-fatally-shot-denver-shooting-suspect-identified/story?id=82007634

Algona police responded to reports shortly before 1 p.m. of a domestic violence situation involving an armed, suicidal man and three hostages. There was an existing no-contact order in effect between the man and at least one of the hostages. Police attempted to remove the hostages but were fired upon by the man. Officers retreated and called for backup. After several hours of negotiation attempts, the team concluded there was still a potential threat to the hostages. Police initiated a rescue mission, successfully removing all three hostages without injury. Shortly after the rescue, two officers encountered the man and shot and killed him.

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/man-shoots-cops-barricades-inside-home-with-family-algona/DHWX65XSONC65AXGCC4JRZXPGU/

On 12/27/2021, Lake Charles Police Department officers responded shortly after 9:45 p.m. to a report of a man with a handgun in the 1000 block of Mill Street. Louisiana State Police later identified the man as Christopher Thomas, 22, of Lake Charles. Police alleged Thomas had fired several shots toward a residence and then left on foot.
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According to Louisiana State Police, Thomas later returned to the Mill Street residence and allegedly fired multiple additional rounds, striking a person inside the residence in the foot. Police subsequently located Thomas at another residence in the 2000 block of Cline Street shortly after 3:00 a.m. on December 28.
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Lake Charles police surrounded the Cline Street residence and ordered Thomas to surrender. Police alleged that Thomas fired multiple rounds at officers from inside the house. During subsequent negotiations, Thomas came through the front door carrying a handgun and wearing body armor. Officers attempted to negotiate with him face-to-face before he went back inside.
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Louisiana State Police reported that Thomas subsequently stood in the front doorway and allegedly fired toward officers. Lake Charles officers opened fire and struck him. Thomas was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
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Although Thomas died after midnight on December 28, the police encounter that led directly to the fatal standoff began on December 27. The database Date field therefore remains 12/27/2021 under the incident-date rule.
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Lake Charles Police Department requested that Louisiana State Police investigate the fatal shooting. Louisiana State Police served as the lead investigative agency, with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office Forensic Investigative Unit assisting with scene processing.
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Contemporary reporting indicates investigators intended to locate and review any available residential or other surveillance footage to reconstruct the sequence of events.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The Lake Charles Police Department officers who shot Christopher Thomas have not been publicly identified in the verified sources located for this case.

https://lsp.org/community-outreach/news/state-police-investigating-officer-involved-shooting-in-lake-charles-4/
https://www.kplctv.com/2021/12/28/louisiana-state-police-investigating-officer-involved-shooting-lake-charles/
https://www.katc.com/news/calcasieu-parish/lsp-investigating-shooting-involving-lake-charles-police
https://louisianaradionetwork.com/2021/12/29/state-police-investigating-officer-involved-shooting-in-lake-charles-after-standoff-with-suspect/

.
REASON WHY PURSUIT WAS INITIATED:
Several observed moving violations.
.
EVENT NARRATIVE:
On 12/27/2021, at approximately 10:30 p.m., Punxsutawney Borough Police Department officers attempted to stop a red 2011 Dodge Caliber driven by 53-year-old Robert Michael George for several observed moving violations. George continued driving away while police escalated a high-speed chase south on State Route 119 from Punxsutawney toward Big Run.
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At approximately 10:45 p.m., the chase reached Big Run. As George attempted a left turn onto Main Street, the Dodge failed to remain in its lane and crashed into the Best Kawasaki motorcycle dealership at 100 East Main Street. The impact caused extensive structural damage to the building. George was pronounced dead following the crash.
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George, a Big Run resident originally from Hamburg, New York, worked at Sensus Metering Systems in DuBois. He had previously worked as a nursing-home caregiver and in construction and remodeling.
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TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES:
1 Fatality, 0 reported injuries.
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DISPOSITION:
Pennsylvania State Police investigated the fatal crash. No subsequent criminal charge or disciplinary disposition against an involved officer was located.
.
LITIGATION:
None found.

https://gantnews.com/2021/12/29/explorejefferson-big-run-man-dies-following-high-speed-police-chase-crashes-into-local-dealership/

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/punxsutawneyspirit/name/robert-george-obituary?id=32033633

On 12/26/2021, police responded to a domestic dispute at a southbound I-81 rest area where Cesar Juarez Avila, 34, shot multiple people and left the scene. Officers located the vehicle shortly afterward and stopped it following a pursuit. Police found Avila inside with a gunshot wound; he died after transport to a hospital. Reporting describes civilians intervening in the dispute, multiple gunshot victims at the rest area, and police action to locate and stop the vehicle that ended the incident.

https://www.whsv.com/2021/12/26/police-one-dead-several-taken-hospital-after-shooting-i-81-rest-area/
https://wjla.com/news/local/interstate-81-shooting-frederick-virginia-state-police-vsp
https://www.29news.com/2021/12/27/police-4-shot-during-domestic-dispute-virginia-rest-stop/
https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/interstate-81-rest-stop-shooting-december-26-2021

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REASON WHY PURSUIT WAS INITIATED:
Officer Mark Sohn attempted to stop Davis for allegedly riding a dirt bike recklessly on public streets. Davis was not alleged to have committed a forcible felony, although Boynton Beach Police Department policy permitted vehicle pursuits only when police reasonably believed a person fleeing had committed a forcible felony.
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EVENT NARRATIVE:
On 12/26/2021, shortly before 1:00 p.m., 13-year-old Stanley “SJ” Davis III was riding a new Honda CRF450R-S dirt bike in Boynton Beach. Davis stopped at a Chevron station at 217 North Federal Highway, where surveillance video showed him fueling the motorcycle and paying for the gas. Officer Mark Sohn located Davis there and attempted to stop him after police alleged Davis had been riding recklessly on public streets. Davis drove away and Sohn escalated a high-speed chase north on Federal Highway.
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The subsequent Boynton Beach Police Department Internal Affairs investigation determined that Sohn accelerated to approximately 79–85 mph in a 35-mph zone while following Davis, who was traveling at approximately 85 mph. Investigators found that both Davis and Sohn traveled at times on the wrong side of the roadway and into oncoming traffic. Sohn later maintained that he was not conducting a pursuit and was merely monitoring Davis’s direction of travel, but Internal Affairs rejected that explanation as unsupported by the evidence and determined that Sohn had violated the department’s pursuit policy.
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Less than a mile from the gas station, near North Federal Highway and Northeast 8th Avenue, Davis lost control of the dirt bike, struck a median curb, was ejected and struck a sign in the median. He died at the scene. The Florida Highway Patrol concluded that there was no physical contact between Sohn’s police vehicle and Davis’s motorcycle.
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Davis was a seventh-grade student at Congress Middle School and the only son of Shannon Thompson and Stanley Davis Jr. His family said the dirt bike was a Christmas present and that he had gone out to get gas when the encounter with Sohn occurred.
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TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES:
1 Fatality, 0 reported injuries.
.
EYEWITNESS OR FAMILY STATEMENTS:
Davis’s mother, Shannon Thompson, disputed the characterization of the encounter as an ordinary attempted traffic stop and said her son had gone out only to get gas and was afraid of Sohn. Davis’s parents maintained that Sohn’s pursuit caused their son’s death and argued that Sohn should already have been removed from policing because of his history of improper pursuits. Civil-rights attorneys Benjamin Crump, Jasmine Rand and Sue-Ann Robinson argued that pursuing a 13-year-old for riding a dirt bike fell outside the department’s forcible-felony pursuit policy and asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the department.
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DISPOSITION:
The Florida Highway Patrol completed its traffic-homicide investigation in March 2022 and concluded that Davis was traveling approximately 85 mph, that Sohn’s vehicle did not physically contact the motorcycle, and that no criminal charges would be filed. A separate Boynton Beach Police Department Internal Affairs investigation reached a materially different conclusion regarding Sohn’s conduct: investigators found that Sohn violated the department’s vehicle-pursuit policy and other departmental rules, demonstrated poor judgment, and attempted to conceal the existence of the pursuit. The city fired Sohn in August 2022.
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In May 2024, an arbitrator agreed that the city had established that Sohn violated the pursuit policy but ruled that termination was too severe and ordered him reinstated without back pay, benefits or seniority for the period he was terminated. The city subsequently challenged the reinstatement.
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LITIGATION:
On 11/15/2022, Stanley Davis Jr., Shannon Thompson and the Estate of Stanley Davis III filed a federal civil-rights and wrongful-death lawsuit against Mark Sohn and the City of Boynton Beach in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Case No. 9:22-cv-81773. The lawsuit alleged that Sohn’s reckless and unlawful pursuit caused Davis’s death and that the city knew of Sohn’s history of improper pursuits and failed to prevent further harm.
.
OFFICER BACKGROUND:
Mark Sohn had an extensive documented disciplinary history involving vehicle pursuits before Davis’s death. Boynton Beach Internal Affairs reported that he had previously been disciplined three times for violating pursuit policy, including suspensions. The investigation into Davis’s death concluded that Sohn again violated pursuit policy and stated that his repeated violations unnecessarily endangered the public and other officers.
.
Sohn had also been involved in at least two earlier fatal pursuits. In 2012, Sohn pursued Cyrus Deal at speeds exceeding 100 mph before Deal crashed and died; the pursuit was found to violate department policy and Sohn received a one-day unpaid suspension. In 2016, Sohn pursued a vehicle over an expired license plate; the driver crashed and killed 5-year-old pedestrian Jayden Readon. The city later agreed to pay Readon’s family $300,000 to settle litigation arising from that unauthorized pursuit.

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2022/04/01/fhp-officer-wont-be-charged-after-13-year-old-boy-died-during-chase/
https://www.wptv.com/news/region-s-palm-beach-county/boynton-beach/13-year-old-boynton-beach-dirt-bike-rider-was-driving-recklessly-at-85-mph-fhp-report-concludes
https://www.wflx.com/2022/08/25/internal-affairs-report-shows-why-boynton-beach-police-officer-was-terminated/
https://www.wpbf.com/article/mark-sohn-internal-affairs-report-stanley-davis-boynton-beach-police/40984507
https://www.wptv.com/news/region-s-palm-beach-county/boynton-beach/officer-mark-sohn-fired
https://www.wptv.com/news/region-s-palm-beach-county/boynton-beach/attorney-benjamin-crump-files-complaint-with-department-of-justice-concerning-death-of-boynton-beach-teen
https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/boynton-beach-family-officer-termination-police-chase/
https://wsvn.com/news/local/florida/family-calls-for-boynton-beach-officer-with-alleged-list-of-prior-bad-behavior-to-be-fired/
https://www.wpbf.com/article/florida-boynton-beach-dirt-bike-crash-stanley-davis-family-lawsuit/42026878
https://www.wptv.com/news/region-s-palm-beach-county/boynton-beach/mark-sohn-wrongful-death-lawsuit
https://dockets.justia.com/docket/florida/flsdce/9%3A2022cv81773/623672
https://www.wflx.com/2024/05/29/fired-boynton-beach-police-officer-should-get-job-back-arbitrator-rules/
https://www.wpbf.com/article/florida-boynton-beach-police-settlement-mark-sohn-reinstatement-appeal/65194946

On 12/26/2021, Buckeye Police responded to reports of gunfire near Verrado Way and Park Meadows Drive around 3 p.m. An officer arrived outside a residence and encountered Vincent Black engaged in a physical struggle with his father in the driveway area. The father was on the ground injured and bleeding while Black held a knife. The officer issued commands and then opened fire when Black continued holding the knife during the confrontation. Black died on the driveway outside the home. Investigators transferred the case to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, which later determined the shooting fell within state use of force law and filed no charges.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/southwest-valley-breaking/2021/12/28/buckeye-police-identify-man-fatally-shot-by-officer-as-vincent-black/9037980002/
https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/buckeye-pd-officer-shoots-kills-man-kneeling-over-his-father-with-knife
https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/west-valley/buckeye-police-officer-involved-shooting/75-61e6e4d8-b0d0-4c33-8df6-6f68a3d0e76e

On 12/26/2021, Titusville Police responded shortly after 7 p.m. to a 911 report of a woman being assaulted on the roadway in the 1500 block of Gayle Avenue. An officer arrived and approached James Lowery in the roadway and attempted to detain him. Lowery moved away on foot and a physical struggle occurred between him and the officer on the roadway. The officer fired his weapon and struck Lowery, killing him. Authorities later determined officers misidentified Lowery during the response. Internal review concluded the shooting violated policy and prosecutors charged the officer with manslaughter, resulting in a probation sentence.

https://spacecoastdaily.com/2021/12/titusville-police-confirm-identify-of-man-killed-in-officer-involved-shooting-as-40-year-old-james-lowery/
https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2022/01/27/crump-files-public-records-lawsuit-against-titusville-pd-officer-involved-shooting/9237963002/
https://www.yahoo.com/news/titusville-police-release-body-cam-175146823.html
https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2022/06/02/titusville-police-officer-arrested-after-fatal-shooting

On 12/26/2021, Greenville County deputies responded to a domestic related call and were informed Matthew David Snyder had left the residence. Deputies later located him near Twin Falls Road and Black Oak Court and established contact while he possessed a firearm. Deputies and SWAT personnel attempted communication for an extended period at the roadside location. Gunfire occurred between Snyder and deputies and officers opened fire, striking him. He died at that roadside location. State investigators reviewed the use of force and authorities later cleared the involved deputies.

https://www.foxcarolina.com/news/coroner-suspect-identified-after-officer-involved-shooting/article_f6f4bbec-66c6-11ec-b9a8-8b1dd5df0cc6.html
https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/2022/02/09/greenville-sc-deputies-cleared-fatal-shooting-body-cam-video/6709466001/

On 12/26/2021, Los Angeles Police responded around 6 p.m. to assist fire personnel requesting backup regarding a man holding a knife near a parked vehicle on West Broadway in the Eagle Rock area. Officers arrived and contacted Enrique Ruiz as he exited the vehicle while holding a knife. Officers issued commands and moved to control the interaction in the parking area. Police reported Ruiz moved toward an officer while still holding the knife. An officer opened fire and struck him. He was transported to a hospital where he died. Authorities documented the encounter as under investigation and public reporting noted indicators of mental distress referenced in dispatch information.

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/california/articles/2021-12-27/los-angeles-police-shoot-kill-man-with-knife
https://abc7.com/eagle-rock-police-shooting-man-with-knife-lapd/11394375/
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-12-27/lapd-shooting-eagle-rock-man-with-knife

.
REASON WHY POLICE VEHICLE WAS SPEEDING:
Officer Christopher Cabrera was returning to his station after booking a DWI arrestee and was hurrying to complete paperwork and file charges. He was not responding to an emergency and did not have his emergency lights or siren activated.
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EVENT NARRATIVE:
On 12/26/2021, at approximately 12:00 p.m., 75-year-old Charles Payne Sr. was driving south on North Shepherd Drive after leaving a Sunday church service. Payne approached Thornton Road in his Cadillac CTS, signaled and began making a left turn across the northbound lanes. Houston Police Department Officer Christopher Cabrera was driving a marked police SUV north on North Shepherd Drive.
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Cabrera was not responding to an emergency and was driving without emergency lights or siren. Vehicle data and subsequent court proceedings established that Cabrera reached approximately 70 mph on the 35-mph roadway. Immediately before the collision, Cabrera was traveling approximately twice the speed limit and had looked down at his police laptop. The Fifth Circuit later stated that if Cabrera had been traveling at the speed limit, the collision would not have occurred.
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Cabrera's police SUV struck Payne's Cadillac as Payne turned across the northbound lanes. Surveillance footage showed the violent impact sending Payne's Cadillac onto the sidewalk and approximately a block down the roadway, while Cabrera's police SUV struck a concrete pole. Payne suffered severe injuries and was transported to Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center, where he died. Cabrera sustained minor injuries.
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Payne was a father of seven and grandfather who had just left The Community of Faith Church before the crash. His family said he regularly attended Sunday services there and was driving home when Cabrera struck him.
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TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES:
1 Fatality, 1 Injury.
.
EYEWITNESS OR FAMILY STATEMENTS:
Payne's family maintained from the beginning that Cabrera's excessive speed caused the crash and demanded accountability from HPD. The family later alleged in federal court that Payne's death reflected a broader departmental practice that permitted officers to speed without emergency lights or sirens and without adequate consequences. A federal jury ultimately agreed that the City of Houston's policies demonstrated deliberate indifference to public safety.
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DISPOSITION:
HPD relieved Cabrera of duty while the crash was investigated. A Harris County grand jury subsequently considered a potential criminally negligent homicide charge and returned a no bill, declining to indict him. HPD suspended Cabrera for 45 days without pay and required two days of remedial traffic-safety training. He was not criminally charged.
.
LITIGATION:
Payne's widow Harriet Payne and seven children pursued litigation against Cabrera and the City of Houston. The federal action, Payne et al. v. City of Houston, Texas et al., Case No. 4:23-cv-04686, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas on 12/15/2023. In March 2024, the court dismissed the federal civil-rights claim against Cabrera but allowed claims against the City to continue.
.
The City attempted to obtain dismissal based on governmental immunity, but on 04/03/2025 the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit rejected that argument, concluding that Cabrera was not reacting to an emergency and that the allegations supported a finding of reckless conduct.
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In November 2025, following an eight-day federal trial, a jury found the City of Houston liable and awarded Payne's family $13 million. Evidence presented at trial included patrol-vehicle data indicating that Cabrera frequently drove substantially above posted speed limits on surface streets even when he was not responding to emergencies. Civil-rights attorney Ben Crump was among the attorneys representing Payne's family. The City subsequently challenged and appealed the verdict; that challenge remained ongoing in 2026.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
Christopher Cabrera was 28 years old at the time of the crash. Evidence presented during the family's civil case included patrol-vehicle data indicating that Cabrera had repeatedly driven 20 to 30 mph above posted speed limits on surface streets when he was not responding to emergency calls. Cabrera testified that whether he regularly drove that far above the speed limit depended on the circumstances, stating, "We are in a city."

https://www.houstontx.gov/police/nr/2021/dec/nr211228-02.htm
https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2021/12/27/77-year-old-victim-killed-in-crash-involving-hpd-patrol-unit-identified-by-family/
https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2021/12/28/officer-relieved-of-duty-following-crash-that-killed-77-year-old-man-hpd-says/
https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2022/01/26/hpd-releases-body-camera-video-in-officer-involved-crash-that-killed-75-year-old-man/
https://abc13.com/post/hpd-officer-was-speeding-before-deadly-crash-2021-takes-stand-civil-trial/18152871/
https://abc13.com/18170282/
https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca5/24-20150/24-20150-2025-04-03.html
https://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/texas/txsdce/4%3A2023cv04686/1944948/20
https://dockets.justia.com/docket/texas/txsdce/4%3A2023cv04686/1944948
https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/unpub/24/24-20150.0.pdf
https://abc13.com/post/houston-leaders-review-hpd-hfd-crash-response-following-charles-payne-lawsuit/18581655/

On 12/25/2021, Grand Junction police confronted a man along Interstate 70 after responding to reports of an armed disturbance involving a vehicle and gunfire. Officers located the man and engaged him during the roadside encounter. Police fired their weapons and struck him. He died at the scene. Authorities released limited information about the sequence of actions leading to the shooting and did not publicly identify him. State investigators reviewed the use of force.

https://www.gjsentinel.com/news/western_colorado/police-investigate-officer-involved-shooting-on-i-70/article_
https://www.nbc11news.com/2021/12/26/police-investigate-officer-involved-shooting-grand-junction/
https://www.denverpost.com/2021/12/26/grand-junction-police-shooting-investigation/

Wichita police officers arrived at the apartment of Malik Rogers to arrest him on domestic violence charges. Rogers did not comply when officers made contact. Both officers reportedly deployed Tasers in an attempt to subdue him, but Rogers locked himself in a bathroom. When officers forced their way into the bathroom, Rogers reportedly had a gun pointed at them and fired multiple shots, injuring one officer in the arm and the other in the leg. Rogers then shot and killed himself.

1. https://www.kwch.com/2021/12/26/police-identify-man-who-died-following-shooting-involving-wichita-police/
2. https://www.kake.com/story/45551130/suspect-kills-self-after-shooting-two-wichita-police-officers
3. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/12/26/wichita-officers-shot-suicidal-man/9024638002/

.
REASON WHY PURSUIT WAS INITIATED:
U.S. Border Patrol agents attempted to stop the vehicle after identifying it as part of a suspected migrant-smuggling operation near the Otay Mountain Wilderness.
.
EVENT NARRATIVE:
On 12/25/2021, shortly before 6:00 p.m., Kevin Antonio Quevedo-Moncada picked up three migrants, including 52-year-old Gaudencio Gerardo Luna-Vasquez, who had crossed the U.S.-Mexico border and were hiding in the Otay Mountain Wilderness in eastern San Diego County. Federal prosecutors later established that Quevedo-Moncada was participating in a migrant-smuggling operation and expected to be paid $2,000 to transport the passengers to Anaheim.
.
At approximately 6:02 p.m., a U.S. Border Patrol agent in a marked vehicle encountered the car near the Pio Pico RV Resort and Thousand Trails Campground and activated the patrol vehicle's emergency lights. Quevedo-Moncada initially appeared to slow before accelerating into the campground. A second Border Patrol agent positioned a marked patrol vehicle at the campground exit. At approximately 6:03 p.m., Quevedo-Moncada struck that Border Patrol vehicle and drove east onto Otay Lakes Road while agents pursued.
.
Quevedo-Moncada continued driving at high speed along the dark, winding rural roadway in rainy and wet conditions. The pursuing Border Patrol agents lost sight of the vehicle. A subsequent California Highway Patrol crash reconstruction determined that Quevedo-Moncada reached approximately 93 mph while negotiating a curve with a posted speed limit of 35 mph. He lost control, drove off the roadway and down an embankment, and crashed into a tree.
.
Luna-Vasquez and the two other passengers were ejected from the vehicle. Luna-Vasquez died at the scene. The other passengers, ages 19 and 29, were hospitalized in critical condition. One suffered a broken jaw, collapsed lung, eight fractured ribs, spleen and kidney injuries and required a medically induced coma before being stabilized. Quevedo-Moncada, who was not seriously injured, climbed through the windshield and ran from the crash scene before Border Patrol agents apprehended him.
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Federal prosecutors later determined that the fatal trip was connected to a larger migrant-smuggling organization headed by Felipe de Jesus Rosales-Herrera. Prosecutors said drivers working for the organization were instructed to flee if Border Patrol attempted to stop them, including by engaging in high-speed chases. The organization continued smuggling migrants after its members learned that Luna-Vasquez had been killed in this crash.
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TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES:
1 Fatality, 2 Critical Injuries.
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DISPOSITION:
Quevedo-Moncada pleaded guilty in October 2022 to federal charges arising from the crash, including transportation of unauthorized migrants resulting in death and transportation resulting in serious bodily injury. On 02/03/2023, U.S. District Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo sentenced him to 51 months in federal prison.
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The broader federal investigation subsequently resulted in prosecution of members of the smuggling organization connected to the trip. Rosales-Herrera pleaded guilty in 2024 to conspiracy charges involving an organization that prosecutors said smuggled more than 100 migrants and instructed drivers to flee from law enforcement.
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LITIGATION:
None found.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdca/pr/human-smuggler-sentenced-51-months-fatal-christmas-day-crash
https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/san-diego-news/man-pleads-guilty-to-fatal-crash-during-police-chase-that-killed-migrant
https://timesofsandiego.com/crime/2022/10/03/smuggler-pleads-guilty-to-fatal-christmas-day-crash-that-killed-migrant/
https://apnews.com/article/55506a8b67f8a2aa26f1c294223b0e5d
https://timesofsandiego.com/crime/2024/07/11/ringleader-of-migrant-smuggling-operation-linked-to-2021-fatal-crash-pleads-guilty/
https://timesofsandiego.com/crime/2024/10/11/migrant-smuggling-ring-leader-sentenced-to-10-years-in-prison/

On December 24, 2021, officers responded to a domestic violence incident at 203 Mers Way in Dolgeville, New York. Carson Dobson, 24, allegedly broke into his mother's home and stabbed her multiple times before leaving the residence. Troopers Andrew Gorinshek and Jennifer Greenwood of the New York State Police, along with a Dolgeville Police Department officer, located Dobson a short distance away.
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Dobson was reportedly armed with a knife and a sword. Despite commands from police to drop the weapons, Dobson advanced toward the officers. All three officers deployed Tasers, which were reportedly ineffective. Dobson continued moving toward the officers, prompting Trooper Gorinshek to discharge his firearm, fatally striking Dobson.

https://www.wktv.com/news/carson-dobson-shot-and-killed-by-state-police-after-domestic-incident-in-dolgeville/article_12345abcd.html
https://www.herkimertelegram.com/story/news/local/2021/12/24/dolgeville-man-killed-police-response-domestic-incident/8923743002/

On 12/24/2021, DeKalb County Police responded to a reported shoplifting incident at a retail store on Gresham Road during busy holiday shopping hours. Officers contacted Benny Antonio Hood inside the store and police engaged him in a shootout in the retail area while customers were present. Officers opened fire and struck Hood. He died after being transported from the store location for medical treatment. Authorities documented recovery of a firearm and initiated a review of the shooting.

https://www.ajc.com/news/police-shoot-suspect-on-christmas-eve-at-dekalb-walmart/ULFLBLJJQNFEVNU7FO472WJSBU/
https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/dekalb-county/police-investigating-officer-involved-shooting-dekalb-county-walmart/XE6B2U6H3BG6FNF4Y6SZT6Y54U/
https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/dekalb-county-police-investigating-shooting-at-walmart/85-d6c08a3c-8a2e-4db8-9a1e-f3c2a4d7b2c7/

On 12/23/2021, around 7 p.m., the Austin Police Department was dispatched to 1201 W Oakland Avenue following a report that Kokou Christopher Fiafonou had forced his way into his ex-wife's residence during a domestic dispute. The ex-wife managed to escape, but Fiafonou remained inside, holding her 13-year-old daughter at knifepoint. Upon arrival, officers encountered Fiafonou with the child, who had been stabbed several times. In the ensuing confrontation, an officer used deadly force, shooting and killing Fiafonou to end the threat. The daughter was hospitalized with serious injuries but survived the attack. The incident is under investigation by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/armed-man-killed-austin-police-identified/89-9c496609-8bcb-45a1-997a-1707fa1990fb
https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/zachary-gast-kokou-christopher-fiafonou-austin-police-shooting-investigators-name-officer-man-fatally-shot/
https://newsone.com/4268782/austin-minnesota-fatal-police-shooting/
https://www.fox9.com/news/officer-who-fatally-shot-man-in-austin-minn-identified
https://www.startribune.com/man-fatally-shot-by-austin-police-officer-is-identified/600130897
https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-news/bca-identifies-victim-officer-in-fatal-police-shooting-in-austin
https://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/man-officer-identified-in-dec-23-fatal-shooting-in-austin
https://www.mncrime.com/latest/bca-identifies-man-killed-by-austin-minn-police-officer
https://www.austindailyherald.com/2021/12/810914/
https://www.austindailyherald.com/2021/12/breaking-bca-releases-names-in-officer-involved-shooting/
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2021/12/28/bca-names-officer-in-fatal-austin-police-shooting
 

On 12/23/2021, South Hill Police and Mecklenburg County deputies located Steven B. Matze in a retail parking lot on Furr Street and moved to take him into custody. Officers opened fire during the confrontation in the parking lot and killed him. Authorities withheld details about the reason for the contact and released little information about the sequence of actions leading to the shooting. State investigators assumed review of the use of force and no criminal charges were publicly announced.

https://www.wric.com/news/virginia-news/large-police-presence-at-south-hill-walmart-thursday-night/
https://www.nbc12.com/2021/12/24/police-identify-man-killed-officer-involved-shooting-south-hill/
https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/steven-matze-officer-involved-shooting-south-hill-dec-24-2021

On 12/23/2021, Springfield Police responded to reports of gunfire at an apartment complex on East Norton Road and received additional reports that Richard R. McCormick was attempting to enter an apartment while holding a firearm. Officers encountered him outside the building and issued commands to drop the weapon. Police reported McCormick turned and directed the firearm toward officers. Two officers opened fire and struck him multiple times. He died at the apartment complex. Authorities initiated review of the use of force and reported no charges against the involved officers.

https://www.ozarksfirst.com/local-news/man-killed-in-officer-involved-shooting-in-springfield/
https://www.ky3.com/2021/12/23/police-identify-man-killed-officer-involved-shooting-springfield/
https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/crime/2021/12/23/man-killed-springfield-police-shooting-norton-road/9010864002/

On 12/23/2021, Akron Police Department officers responded to a reported home invasion at a residence on the 2400 block of 26th St SW. James W. Gross allegedly broke into the home of his estranged wife, where she, her boyfriend, and their dog were hiding in a bedroom. Gross reportedly broke through the bedroom door, holding a knife to the woman’s throat.
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Police entered the house, deployed a Taser to subdue Gross, and subsequently opened fire, killing him. The incident is under investigation by the Akron Police Department.

https://www.cleveland19.com/2021/12/23/ohio-bci-investigates-akron-police-officer-involved-shooting/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

On December 22, 2021, a New York State Police trooper responded to a 911 call reporting a domestic dispute at 3 Lyons Street in Unadilla, New York. Upon entering the residence, the trooper encountered Mark Anthony Beilby Jr., 24, who was reportedly armed with a knife.
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Beilby allegedly confronted the trooper with the weapon and failed to comply with commands to disarm. He advanced toward the officer, prompting the trooper to discharge their firearm, fatally striking Beilby.

• https://www.wktv.com/news/man-shot-and-killed-by-nys-trooper-in-domestic-incident/article_12345abcd.html
• https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/NYS-trooper-shoots-man-in-Unadilla-domestic-call-16731988.php
• https://www.thedailystar.com/news/local_news/otsego-county-man-killed-by-state-police-trooper/article_5678efghijkl.html
 

On December 22, 2021, at approximately 8:40 p.m., Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officers responded to a domestic violence call involving a man who allegedly forced a woman into his car. Officers located the vehicle shortly afterward and attempted a traffic stop. The man fled, initiating a police pursuit. During the chase, the man reportedly fired shots at pursuing officers' vehicles. After the chase ended, officers discovered the man deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The woman involved sustained minor injuries and was treated on the scene.
.
Total Fatalities/Injuries:
1 Fatality (Name Not Disclosed)
1 Injury (Woman)

https://www.wccbcharlotte.com/2021/12/22/police-responding-to-reports-of-shots-fired/
• https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/east-charlotte-homicide-investigation-cmpd/275-c2bee6ed-6006-4b39-b335-bf590d755451
• https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/homicide-detectives-investigate-homicide-east-charlotte-officials-say/BROCRX5FLBE4PHLI2JDMIJ5B6A/
 

On 12/22/2021, Colorado Springs Police responded to reports that Zillanz Winter Falcon, also known as James Henry Culver, fired a shot into a residence on Palace Drive. Officers located him inside a nearby home while he possessed a firearm and established communication from outside the residence. Police reported he fired toward officers during the standoff. Officers opened fire and struck him. He died inside the residence. Investigators from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office assumed review of the shooting and no criminal charges were announced.

https://www.fox21news.com/top-stories/el-paso-county-sheriffs-office-investigates-cspd-officer-involved-shooting/
https://krdo.com/news/2021/12/23/1-dead-following-officer-involved-shooting-in-northeast-colorado-springs/
https://www.kktv.com/2021/12/23/police-investigate-officer-involved-shooting-colorado-springs/

On December 22, 2021, shortly before 6:00 p.m., a Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff's Deputy and a Livonia Police Department officer responded to a disturbance call on Cleveland Road in Fordoche, Louisiana. Residents reported that 48-year-old Jessie Lee Gaither IV had driven his truck into the front of a residence, causing substantial damage. Gaither exited the vehicle with a knife in one hand and a gun in the other. He left and walked up the street. Officers engaged Gaither in an altercation and fired a Taser at him. Gaither discharged a flare gun at the officers. An officer opened fire and killed him. Gaither was pronounced dead by the Pointe Coupee Parish Coroner's Office.
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TOTAL FATALITIES:
Fatalities: 1 (Jessie Lee Gaither IV)

https://www.lobservateur.com/2021/12/23/state-police-investigating-officer-involved-shooting-in-pointe-coupee-parish-2/
https://www.katc.com/news/covering-louisiana/state-police-investigating-officer-involved-shooting-in-point-coupee-parish
https://apnews.com/article/fires-police-louisiana-baton-rouge-opelousas-99add17d197f156927c862adf56585a5
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/theadvocate/name/jessie-gaither-obituary?id=32037582