Search fatalities

On March 12, 2021, 34-year-old Sal Fernandez was killed when a man fleeing from a traffic stop by Garden Grove police crashed into another vehicle at the intersection of Euclid Street and Orangewood Avenue in Garden Grove, California. Fernandez was a passenger in the fleeing vehicle, which crashed through a wall and came to rest upside down in a residential swimming pool. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

• https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-12/police-pursuit-ends-with-3-dead-after-crash-in-garden-grove-sends-truck-into-pool
• https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/person-killed-another-injured-after-crash-sends-car-into-residential-pool/2548444/

On 03/12/2021, two deputies from the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office went to a residence on Augustine Road to serve a court order to take Raymond Tarbox II into custody. During the encounter inside the home, deputies said Tarbox was holding a butcher knife and resisted their efforts to restrain him. Deputies deployed a taser, which did not stop him. One deputy then fired a gun, killing Tarbox at the scene. A grand jury later reviewed the case and ruled the killing justified. No criminal charges were filed against the deputies.

https://valdostatoday.com/news-2/local/2021/03/armed-man-killed-in-lowndes-officer-involved-shooting/

On 03/12/2021, Metro Nashville police officer Josh Baker stopped Nika Nicole Holbert while she was driving near Brick Church Pike and Ewing Drive. Baker said he recognized the vehicle in connection with another individual wanted on drug warrants, though that person was not present. During the stop, Holbert told Baker the vehicle was not hers. Baker searched Holbert’s purse and claimed to find drugs, then returned to his patrol vehicle. Holbert retrieved her purse and got back into her car. Baker escalated the encounter by deploying his taser and pulling on Holbert as she remained in the vehicle. Moments later, Baker fired his gun, killing Holbert. Video of the encounter later became public and drew scrutiny over the escalation of force during the stop. The shooting remained under investigation, and no criminal charges were filed against the officer.

https://www.wsbtv.com/news/trending/video-shows-nashville-police-officer-female-driver-shoot-one-another-outside-dollar-general-store/HJYRTF3MTVDMZCHCCWP7OGWLOU/

On 03/12/2021, Kimberling City police responded to a report of a burglary at a condominium complex on Anchors Point Lane. Police said Timothy Jonas Johnson entered a neighboring condo while it was unoccupied, fired gunshots inside, and returned to his own unit. When the condo’s resident later returned and discovered damage, law enforcement from multiple agencies responded and established contact with Johnson inside the building. Another person was present inside the condo during the incident. During the encounter, Johnson fired multiple shots. A Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper then fired a gun, killing Johnson.

https://www.ozarksfirst.com/local-news/local-news-local-news/police-at-standoff-at-kimberling-city-condos/

On March 12, 2021, Garden Grove police chased a speeding pickup truck through city streets. The driver refused to stop and accelerated through multiple intersections at high speed. The truck collided with another vehicle, crashed through a wall, and overturned into a backyard swimming pool near Euclid Street and Orangewood Avenue. Three people died in the crash, including the driver of the fleeing pickup, a passenger, and the driver of the struck vehicle. The force of the collision destroyed a wall and caused major property damage. The California Highway Patrol assisted in the investigation.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-12/police-pursuit-ends-with-3-dead-after-crash-in-garden-grove-sends-truck-into-pool
https://abc7.com/post/garden-grove-crash-car-into-pool-deadly-euclid-street/10410218/
https://www.firehouse.com/rescue/water-ice/news/21214203/three-killed-in-ca-crash-that-ends-with-pickup-in-pool

On 03/12/2021, police from multiple agencies responded to a report of a man and woman in a home on Gertrude Avenue in Raymond, New Hampshire, with concerns that the woman might be injured. Upon arrival, officers determined that two individuals were inside the residence and believed the woman to be in danger. After lengthy negotiations, the woman exited the home without serious injuries. The man initially came out of the residence but returned inside. Shortly thereafter, two gunshots were heard. Police entered the home and found the man deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

• https://www.seacoastonline.com/story/news/crime/2021/03/13/raymond-man-kills-self-police-response/6940252002/
• https://www.unionleader.com/news/safety/domestic-disturbance-in-raymond-leads-to-death-of-man/article_fbf34d4b-2c0e-11eb-b771-fb82bd44d59b.html
• https://www.fosters.com/story/news/2021/03/13/raymond-police-investigate-suicide-following-standoff/4742428001/

On March 12, 2021, at approximately 3:20 p.m., a trooper from the Wyoming Highway Patrol attempted to pull over a vehicle. The driver fled, driving north on I-25 at excessive speeds and failing to stop. Several miles north of Cheyenne, the driver crossed into the opposite lanes of travel and collided with a southbound commercial tractor-trailer. The driver was ejected from the vehicle and was killed in the crash.

https://kgab.com/man-dies-in-head-on-crash-after-leading-wyoming-trooper-on-chase/

On March 12, 2021, at approximately 2:00 a.m., Montgomery County Sheriff's deputies responded to a domestic violence call at 2275 Sherer Avenue in Dayton, Ohio. Benjamin Price Cotton, 24, had reportedly stabbed his father, causing non-life-threatening injuries. Upon arrival, deputies found that Cotton had locked himself inside the residence. Despite multiple attempts to negotiate his surrender, Cotton exited the house around 3:54 a.m., brandishing a knife and advancing toward officers. Officers issued multiple commands for him to drop the weapon, which he ignored, continuing to advance. In response, deputies and officers opened fire, striking Cotton, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
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https://www.daytondailynews.com/local/sheriffs-office-dayton-police-to-give-update-on-deadly-officer-shooting/IQZRVRWLUVDMLBCCL2RQCP7IO4/
https://www.daytondailynews.com/crime/officers-cleared-in-deadly-shooting-of-harrison-twp-man-who-stabbed-injured-father/ZG7NKZLAZRD47PCMVFFWOUCAN4/
https://www.wdtn.com/news/local-news/montgomery-county-sheriffs-deputies-on-scene-in-harrison-twp/

REASON FOR CHASE: Fresno police responded to a welfare check involving Robert Makoni sitting alone inside a utility van near Marks and Browning avenues. Officers contacted Makoni and initially described him as compliant. Makoni then drove away at high speed. Officers pursued for a short distance in an attempt to stop him but terminated the pursuit because of his speed.
NARRATIVE:
On 03/11/2021, 48-year-old Robert Makoni was killed when the Penske rental van he was driving crashed at West Avenue and Bullard Avenue shortly after a Fresno Police Department pursuit.

At approximately 3:12 p.m., Fresno police received a request to conduct a welfare check on a man sitting inside a vehicle near Marks and Browning avenues. Responding officers located Makoni alone in the driver's seat of a utility van and contacted him. Police Lt. Rob Beckwith said Makoni initially complied with officers before suddenly driving away.

Makoni drove east on Bullard Avenue at high speed. Fresno police officers attempted to catch up with him and pursued the van for a short distance while attempting to stop him. According to Beckwith, officers terminated the pursuit because of Makoni's speed.

Makoni continued east on Bullard Avenue after police disengaged. Shortly before 3:30 p.m., he approached West Avenue. Witnesses told investigators that Makoni entered the intersection against a red traffic signal and collided with another vehicle that was turning south onto West Avenue.

The impact caused Makoni's van to overturn and strike a streetlight at the southeast corner of the intersection. The van caught fire. Witnesses attempted to reach Makoni but were unable to remove him because of the flames. Makoni died at the scene.

The driver of the other vehicle complained of pain and was transported to Community Regional Medical Center. Police reported that the driver's injuries were not life-threatening.
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The Fresno County Coroner's Office subsequently identified the deceased driver as Robert Makoni, 48, of Oceanside. The coroner reported that Makoni had been in the process of moving to Fresno.

The 03/11/2021 Fresno County fatality documented by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System corresponds with this independently documented fatal crash involving Robert Makoni.

https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article249876468.html
https://www.nhtsa.gov/research-data/fatality-analysis-reporting-system-fars

REASON FOR CHASE: Outstanding warrants.
NARRATIVE:
On 03/11/2021, 25-year-old Preston Emory Grant of Shelby, North Carolina, was killed along with his passenger, 37-year-old Simms Leigh Ottinger Wilson, when the Jeep Grant was driving crashed during a police pursuit that began in Cleveland County, North Carolina, and continued into Cherokee County, South Carolina.

A North Carolina State Highway Patrol trooper attempted to stop Grant in Cleveland County because Grant was wanted on several outstanding felony warrants. Grant continued away from the attempted stop and the trooper pursued the Jeep toward the South Carolina state line.

During the North Carolina portion of the pursuit, the state trooper crashed. The trooper survived the collision. The Jeep continued into Cherokee County, South Carolina, where Cherokee County Sheriff's Office deputies joined the pursuit.

At approximately 7:20 p.m., the pursuit reached the area of Camellia Circle and Buford Street in Gaffney. Grant lost control of the Jeep, which left the roadway and struck a large tree in the front yard of a residence at 102 Camellia Circle.

Grant and Wilson were both ejected from the Jeep during the collision. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. Cherokee County Coroner Dennis Fowler subsequently identified Grant and Wilson and reported that autopsies determined both died from injuries sustained in the crash.

The 03/11/2021 Cherokee County entry in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System documenting two fatalities corresponds with the independently documented two-state police pursuit that killed Grant and Wilson.

https://www.wyff4.com/article/man-woman-die-in-cherokee-county-crash-following-chase/35824241
https://accidentdatacenter.com/us/south-carolina/greenville-spartanburg-sc-asheville-nc-anderson-sc/gaffney/21/03/11/preston-emory-grant-25-and-simms-leigh-ottinger-wilson-37-killed-when-ejected-car-crash-near

REASON FOR CHASE: Outstanding warrants.
NARRATIVE:
On 03/11/2021, 37-year-old Simms Leigh Ottinger Wilson of Shelby, North Carolina, was killed while riding as a passenger in a Jeep that crashed during a police pursuit that began in Cleveland County, North Carolina, and continued into Cherokee County, South Carolina. The driver, 25-year-old Preston Emory Grant, was also killed.

A North Carolina State Highway Patrol trooper attempted to stop Grant in Cleveland County because Grant was wanted on several outstanding felony warrants. Grant continued away from the attempted stop and the trooper pursued the Jeep toward South Carolina.

During the North Carolina portion of the pursuit, the state trooper crashed. The trooper survived. Grant continued into Cherokee County, where Cherokee County Sheriff's Office deputies joined the pursuit.

At approximately 7:20 p.m., Grant lost control of the Jeep near Camellia Circle and Buford Street in Gaffney. The Jeep left the roadway and struck a large tree in the front yard of a residence at 102 Camellia Circle.

Wilson and Grant were ejected from the Jeep and pronounced dead at the scene. Cherokee County Coroner Dennis Fowler subsequently identified both occupants. Autopsies determined that Wilson and Grant died from injuries sustained in the collision.

The 03/11/2021 Cherokee County entry in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System documenting two fatalities corresponds with this independently documented two-state police pursuit.

https://www.wyff4.com/article/man-woman-die-in-cherokee-county-crash-following-chase/35824241
https://accidentdatacenter.com/us/south-carolina/greenville-spartanburg-sc-asheville-nc-anderson-sc/gaffney/21/03/11/preston-emory-grant-25-and-simms-leigh-ottinger-wilson-37-killed-when-ejected-car-crash-near

On March 11, 2021, Laguna Beach police attempted to stop a white Mercedes reported stolen. The driver, 36-year-old Tobiah Paul Steinmetz, refused to stop, and police escalated a chase through Newport Beach and back into Laguna Beach at high speed. During the pursuit, Steinmetz’s vehicle struck two others before police used a PIT maneuver on Pacific Coast Highway to stop him. After the crash, Steinmetz exited the vehicle, and officers opened fire. He was transported to Mission Hospital in critical condition and later died.

https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/story/2021-03-12/driver-shot-after-leading-laguna-beach-police-on-pursuit
https://patch.com/california/lagunabeach/coast-highway-shut-down-due-police-activity
https://www.lagunabeachcity.net/Home/Components/News/News/951/56

On 03/11/2021, deputies from the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office went to 5102 Avenue S 1/2 in Galveston to serve a warrant in connection with alleged narcotics activity. When they entered the residence, 50 year old William Anthony Morris II reportedly had a firearm and refused officers’ orders to drop it. According to law enforcement accounts, deputies shot Morris after he allegedly pointed the gun at them. Morris was pronounced dead at the scene. There are no published reports of criminal charges against the deputies, and no publicly disclosed official investigative findings beyond the standard categorization of the case in use-of-force datasets.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_killings_by_law_enforcement_officers_in_the_United_States%2C_March_2021

On 03/11/2021, Danville police responded to multiple calls reporting that a man was throwing rocks from an overpass above Interstate 680. Officer Andrew Hall located Tyrell Wilson near the overpass and confronted him. Police said Wilson was holding a folding knife and did not comply with commands to drop it. During the encounter, Officer Hall fired his weapon, striking Wilson. Wilson was transported to a hospital, where he later died. The shooting raised public concern about police use of lethal force in a situation involving behavioral distress on a roadway. The Contra Costa County District Attorney later reviewed the case. No criminal charges were filed against the officer.

https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2021/03/17/man-shot-by-danville-police-officer-dies-from-injuries/
https://www.police1.com/legal/ex-calif-deputy-may-have-felony-conviction-scrubbed-due-to-work-as-inmate-firefighter

Cape Coral police responded to a home where two officers encountered Christopher J. Lefande outside the residence armed with a gun. The officers took cover before Lefande confronted them. Both officers shot and killed Lefande.

https://winknews.com/2021/03/11/cape-coral-police-respond-to-an-officer-involved-shooting-in-north-cape-coral/

On March 11, 2021, police responded to a retail theft at Best Buy in Wauwatosa. Officers located a vehicle matching the description of the one involved in the theft. As officers approached the car, one of the three occupants fled on foot. While searching for the man, officers learned that a pedestrian had been struck by a vehicle on I-41 near where the man had been seen running. The pedestrian, identified as 35-year-old Kevin Wilke, was killed in the collision. It was believed that Wilke had been involved in the retail theft.

https://subscribe.jsonline.com/restricted?return=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jsonline.com%2Fstory%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fmilwaukee%2F2021%2F03%2F11%2Fcrash-interstate-41-and-us-45-has-closed-all-southbound-lanes-north-ave%2F4657926001%2F&gps-source=CPROADBLOCKDH&itm_source=roadblock&itm_medium=onsite&itm_campaign=premiumroadblock&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=true&gca-epti=z116361e005200v116361b0070xxd117065&gca-ft=133&gca-ds=sophi&theme=twentyfour&hideGrid=true&gnt-eid=control

On 03/11/2021, Kenneth White, 42, of Aurora, Illinois, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound while Mount Pleasant police pursued him following a bank robbery in Sturtevant. Police responded shortly before 11:30 a.m. to an armed robbery at Tri-City National Bank on Durand Avenue.
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Police alleged that White left the bank with money and drove away. Mount Pleasant police located the vehicle on Oakes Road near State Highway 20 and began pursuing it.
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The pursuit continued west on Highway 20. Police reported that White's vehicle began slowing and that White then sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
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Sturtevant police continued the investigation with assistance from Mount Pleasant police and the FBI.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
No police officer fired the shot that killed White.

https://journaltimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/police-say-person-who-robbed-a-bank-in-sturtevant-shot-and-killed-themself-while-fleeing/article_fa3539eb-6efc-51e4-91b8-0f9dcfa9c704.html 

On 03/10/2021, deputies from the DeSoto Parish Sheriff's Office attempted to stop a Jeep Grand Cherokee near Coushatta, Louisiana, due to the vehicle having no taillights. The driver, Michael Laduca, failed to stop, leading to a police pursuit into Red River Parish.
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Officers from the Red River Parish and DeSoto Parish Sheriff's Offices chased after Laduca, who drove through a barbed-wire fence and became stuck in a ditch. Laduca fled on foot into a field and hid behind a tree. Deputies allege that Laduca "reached for his waistband." Deputies opened fire and killed him. Police claimed that a handgun was found in his possession but did not state that he pointed or used it.
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The incident was investigated by the Louisiana State Police Bureau of Investigations, with findings sent to the Red River Parish District Attorney's Office. No further follow-up has been reported regarding the case.

1. https://krdo.com/cnn-regional/2022/01/13/d-a-deputies-justified-in-fatal-2021-shooting/
2. https://apnews.com/general-news-520fd255fd2b9e335e53968d0296400d
3. https://redriverparishjournal.com/2021/03/12/state-police-investigate-fatal-officer-involved-shooting-in-red-river-parish/

On March 10, 2021, Brown County police alerted other departments about a despondent person who was possibly armed around 11:40 a.m. A Columbus officer spotted the truck and attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but Martin Louis Douglas Jr. refused to stop and fled. Police from several departments pursued Douglas, who allegedly drove erratically and at high speeds. After striking a tire-deflating device, Douglas stopped in the roadway and fired approximately 15 rounds from an AR-15 before fleeing again. Following a second exchange of gunfire, police shot and killed Douglas.

https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/multi-county-police-pursuit-ends-in-officer-involved-shooting/531-49bfb1c5-0644-4023-89ba-a449c7990b73

On March 10, 2021, around 2:30 p.m., the Wells County Sheriff's Office received information regarding the location of a man wanted on a warrant near North Marzane Road and W 700 North in Markle, Indiana. Due to safety concerns, officers requested backup from the Indiana State Police. When officers entered the building, they discovered the man deceased from a gunshot wound. It remains unclear from news reports whether the individual died by suicide prior to the arrival of law enforcement or during the encounter.

https://www.wane.com/news/local-news/isp-swat-team-called-to-barricaded-suspect-situation-in-wells-co/

On March 10, 2021, Rochester Police Department officers responded to a report of a man with a knife at the Open Door Mission on 210 W Main Street in Rochester, New York, around 3 a.m. Tyshon Jones, 29, had reportedly taken a knife from the Samaritan House and walked away. When officers confronted him, Jones was reportedly cutting himself with the knife and refused commands to drop it. Officers stated that Jones threatened to kill them and ignored attempts to subdue him with a Taser. As he advanced toward officers, one officer fired, fatally shooting him.
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Total Fatalities/Injuries:
1 Fatality (Tyshon Jones)

• https://abc7ny.com/yonkers-barricade-armed-suspect-shot-at-police-westchester-county/10417064/
• https://patch.com/new-york/mountvernonny/man-killed-during-standoff-yonkers-police-identified
• https://midhudsonnews.com/2021/03/15/man-takes-his-own-life-after-firing-at-police/
• https://dailyvoice.com/new-york/rivertowns/police-fire/man-found-dead-after-police-standoff-in-westchester/804985/
 

On 03/10/2021, Richmond police responded to a report of a man damaging property along San Pablo Avenue. Officers encountered 47 year old Ivan Gutzalenko, who appeared to be in medical distress or under the influence of drugs and had fallen to the ground. Police handcuffed Gutzalenko and physically restrained him while he complained that he was having trouble breathing. During the restraint, an emergency medical technician administered a narcotic. Gutzalenko was transported to a hospital, where he died a short time later. His death prompted public scrutiny and later reporting focused on police restraint and the use of chemical sedation in custody. The Contra Costa County District Attorney ultimately cleared Richmond police of criminal responsibility.

https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2021/03/11/man-in-distress-dies-at-hospital-after-being-arrested-in-richmond/
https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/03/18/mans-death-after-being-handcuffed-by-richmond-police-deemed-an-accident/
https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/ivan-gutzalenko-richmond-police-in-custody-death-coroner-inquest-accidental/
https://www.danvillesanramon.com/news/2023/05/18/county-da-finds-richmond-police-not-responsible-for-2021-in-custody-death
https://richmondside.org/2025/09/11/ivan-gutzalaneko-richmond-forced-sedation/

On March 10, 2021, Chandler Radley, 22, was involved in a pursuit with the Washington State Patrol. After wrecking his vehicle near Harlan Landing, he fled from the scene on foot and went missing. Several days later, Radley was found dead in the Naches River. His death was determined to be the result of drowning.

https://komonews.com/news/local/missing-man-found-dead-in-naches-river-after-high-speed-chase 

Deputies responded around 9:30 p.m. to a report of an armed robbery at a business. De'Marquez Patterson allegedly entered the store with a gun and demanded money from an employee before fleeing. A couple of hours later, Tallahassee Police Department officers attempted to stop him at his home, but he sped away in his vehicle. Patterson refused to pull over, driving at high speeds until he crashed into a utility pole. After the crash, Patterson exited the vehicle and ran north on Mission Road, pointing a handgun at his head. An LCSO deputy released a police dog on Patterson, who was later found dead with a reportedly self-inflicted gunshot wound.

https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/local/2021/03/12/armed-robbery-suspect-shoots-and-kills-himself-during-chase-deputies/4671551001/ 

On March 10, 2021, an individual detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry in Texas died after showing signs of medical distress. Agents reportedly requested emergency medical services, but the individual was pronounced dead a short time later. The American Immigration Lawyers Association listed the death as part of its national record of in-custody fatalities involving immigration authorities. No further identifying information or cause of death has been released publicly.

https://www.aila.org/infonet/deaths-at-us-immigration-detention-facilities
https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/eagle-pass-cbp-detainee-dies-after-medical-emergency/273-7b8f8e6a-47c5-4985-b12a-57f5f15fd823

On March 10, 2021, at approximately 8:21 p.m., Mansfield police responded to a report of three men fighting on Sycamore Street, with concerns that a woman was being held against her will. En route, officers learned that a man had been struck in the face with a tire iron, and the man had fled in a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck. Officers located the vehicle on Bowman Street, traveling north at high speed. The driver, later identified as Randy Heater, 37, refused to stop and reportedly rammed a police cruiser during the pursuit. The chase continued through rural Richland County, with speeds reaching up to 100 mph. Near Plymouth Springmill Road and Bistline Road, Heater failed to negotiate a curve, causing the vehicle to veer off the road, strike a guardrail, overturn, and eject him. Heater, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was pronounced dead at the scene.

• https://www.richlandsource.com/2021/03/11/mansfield-man-dies-in-crash-north-of-shelby-while-fleeing-from-police/
• https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/mansfield-man-dies-in-rollover-crash-following-a-pursuit-with-mansfield-policehttps://www.10tv.com/article/news/local/police-pursuit-in-mansfield-ends-in-deadly-crash/530-c3c7c2af-2682-4408-a5a3-f3e6b86f3fb1

Donald White, 44, broke into a residence at 48 Knapp Street in Livermore Falls, Maine, and held three individuals hostage, including his ex-girlfriend, her father, and her new boyfriend. White restrained them with zip ties and threatened them with firearms. During the standoff, he also planted multiple explosive devices in the home.
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One of the hostages managed to escape and alerted police. A coordinated response from local, state, and federal law enforcement ensued, involving the Livermore Falls Police Department, Maine State Police, Androscoggin County Sheriff's Office, and the FBI. The remaining two hostages were released, but the standoff continued for 17 hours. It ended when police forcibly entered the home, finding White dead.
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An autopsy revealed that White died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He also sustained non-lethal gunshot wounds from state troopers during the incident.

https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/crime/livermore-falls-maine-family-reunites-after-being-held-hostage-during-a-daylong-standoff/97-db0396d0-8608-4f8d-9c3b-4c55aa9299ca
https://www.sunjournal.com/2021/03/09/livermore-falls-family-reunited-after-hostage-situation/
https://www.wmtw.com/article/investigators-say-man-who-held-3-hostages-inside-livermore-falls-home-killed-himself/35799751

On 03/09/2021, Riverside Police Department officers responded at approximately 4:39 p.m. to a report of people spray-painting gang graffiti near Iowa Avenue. Officers Gutierrez and Mutuku subsequently encountered a group of males in an alley near Cranford Avenue and 7th Street. Several ran when police approached. One was later identified as Jehlani Jay Black, 19.
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Officer Gutierrez pursued Black on foot south on Cranford Avenue. Police reported that Gutierrez saw Black carrying a handgun in his right hand. Black continued toward University Avenue and crossed the roadway while officers converged on the area.
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Officer Sergio Mercado encountered Black after he crossed University Avenue. Police alleged that Black was still armed. Mercado opened fire, striking Black. Officers rendered emergency medical aid, but Black died at the scene. Police reported recovering a handgun.
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The Riverside County Sheriff's Department Force Investigations Detail investigated the fatal shooting with participation from the Riverside County District Attorney's Office and Riverside Police Department investigators.
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The Riverside Community Police Review Commission later conducted an independent review. Its public report identified Mercado as the officer who shot Black and found his use of deadly force consistent with department policy. The official review also establishes that the GVA Cranford Avenue/7th Street entry and the Jehlani Black fatal shooting are the same case.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
Sergio Mercado was identified as the Riverside Police Department officer who shot Black. The Riverside Community Police Review Commission subsequently found his use of deadly force consistent with department policy.

https://www.riversideca.gov/cityclerk/sites/riversideca.gov.cityclerk/files/pdf/oid/black/BLACK%20OID%20Public%20Report%20-%202024.pdf
https://riversideca.gov/cityclerk/sites/riversideca.gov.cityclerk/files/CPRC%20Jehlani%20Black%20canvass.pdf

Around 7 p.m., a family member of Jim Wright reported concerns about his welfare. Deputies found him near the Clark and Meade County line, where Wright fled in his SUV. After a pursuit, deputies deployed spike strips, slowing Wright's vehicle until it stopped. Wright exited the vehicle holding a firearm. Despite commands to drop the weapon, around 9:40 p.m., officers from multiple agencies shot and killed him.

https://www.kwch.com/2021/03/10/kbi-1-dead-after-officer-involved-shooting-in-minneola/ 

Around 2:30 a.m. on March 9, 2021, Grant County Sheriff's deputies responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle. Deputies observed a person acting suspiciously, who then entered a vehicle and sped away. Deputies pursued the vehicle, and during the chase, the driver lost control, causing the vehicle to flip and crash into a yard. Danielle C. Shockey, a passenger in the vehicle, was killed in the crash.

https://www.khq.com/news/passenger-killed-after-police-chase-near-ephrata/article_bbe920b4-80e0-11eb-9622-d729e89f11ae.html 

Officer Jesse Madsen was killed after he veered into oncoming traffic. The incident occurred around 1 a.m. and shut down I-275. Joshua Daniel Montague was traveling the wrong way on the interstate when he hit Madsen's patrol vehicle. Both Madsen and Montague died in the collision.

https://www.wfla.com/news/breaking-news/tampa-police-officer-killed-in-early-morning-crash-on-i-275/

At approximately 5:43 p.m., Douglas County Sheriff's deputies conducted a traffic stop at Oregon Coast Highway and Winchester Avenue in Reedsport. During the stop, one individual in the vehicle was arrested, while David Robert Ruozi Jr., 30, allegedly became hostile and threatened deputies. Law enforcement from multiple agencies responded to the scene. After a five-hour standoff, Ruozi was shot and killed by deputies.
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https://kpic.com/news/local/grand-jury-finds-officer-involved-shooting-in-reedsport-was-justified
https://www.klcc.org/crime-law-justice/2021-03-30/da-officer-involved-shooting-of-murder-suspect-justified 

On 03/08/2021, at approximately 5:20 a.m., Burbank Police Department officers responded to a report of a young child wandering alone in the parking lot of the Quality Inn Burbank Airport, located at 2255 N Buena Vista Street. Officers found a 7-year-old boy sitting on a curb, who stated he was waiting for his stepfather, identified as 30-year-old David William Kahler of Las Vegas.
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Investigations revealed that Kahler and the child had been involved in a car accident on the 5 Freeway in a vehicle suspected of being stolen from Las Vegas. After leaving the accident scene, they proceeded to the hotel parking lot. Surveillance footage showed Kahler attempting to enter vehicles that did not belong to him. He later arrived at the hotel in a maroon Honda Accord, also reported stolen from the 2200 block of North Frederic Street.
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As officers spoke with the child, Kahler drove up to the hotel. Body camera footage shows the child running to the vehicle and getting inside. Kahler allegedly drew a weapon and pointed it at one of the officers. The officer fired three shots, striking Kahler. The child was unharmed and taken into protective custody. A loaded 9mm semiautomatic handgun, reported stolen from Las Vegas, was recovered at the scene.
Kahler was transported to a nearby trauma center, where he succumbed to his injuries. At the time of his death, Kahler was on probation in Nevada and had an extensive criminal history, including burglary while in possession of a firearm, domestic violence, narcotics violations, and theft.
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The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office is conducting an independent investigation into the officer-involved shooting, with cooperation from the Burbank Police Department.

• https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/burbank-pd-fatal-shooting-david-william-kahler/
• https://myburbank.com/police-release-new-information-on-officer-involved-fatal-shooting/
• https://www.burbankpd.org/assets/1/16/Burbank_PD_News_Release_-_Officer_Involved_Shooting_Update.pdf
• https://dailycaller.com/2021/04/23/burbank-california-fatal-police-shooting/
• https://myburbank.com/police-fatally-shoot-man-at-quality-inn-after-confrontation-in-parking-lot/
• https://news3lv.com/news/local/las-vegas-man-idd-as-suspect-shot-and-killed-by-police-in-southern-california
• https://www.ktnv.com/news/burbank-police-release-video-of-officer-shooting-killing-las-vegas-man
• https://www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/las-vegas-man-killed-by-police-officers-in-burbank-california/
• https://www.ktnv.com/news/las-vegas-man-shot-killed-by-burbank-police-in-southern-california

On March 8, 2021, Dallas County deputies attempted a traffic stop that escalated into a pursuit involving 43-year-old Joel Weldon of Hot Spring County. Weldon reportedly stopped his truck and fired a weapon at deputies before fleeing again. When the pursuit ended along Highway 8 near Sparkman, Weldon exited the vehicle armed and refused to comply with commands. Deputies opened fire, killing him at the scene. The Arkansas State Police launched an investigation, and findings were referred to the Dallas County Prosecuting Attorney to determine whether the use of deadly force was lawful.

https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2021/mar/08/arkansas-man-killed-after-shooting-at-dallas-county-deputies/
https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/asp-investigating-deputy-involved-shooting-dallas-county/91-5d7b6229-4b57-4c88-9ffb-3d62a2eb1e04
https://www.katv.com/news/local/man-fatally-shot-by-dallas-county-deputies-after-shooting-at-them-arkansas-state-police-say

Officers from the Lakeland Police Department were dispatched at 6:25 a.m. to the Cobblestone Landing townhomes following a 911 call reporting a man with a gun. Upon arrival, three officers encountered a man with a handgun standing alongside a 37-year-old woman in the parking lot. As the woman turned toward one of the officers, the man, identified as Howayne T. Gayle, pointed his gun and fatally shot her in the abdomen. Officer Brent Behrens then shot and killed Howayne T. Gayle.
TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 2 fatalities

https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/polkcounty/lakeland-police-shooting-cobblestone-landing/67-ae808419-d225-4402-847e-c7494c6a17b0

Deputies from the Clay County Sheriff's Office responded to multiple calls about a burglary on the 2600 block of Country Side Drive. Upon arrival, deputies found a car had crashed into the garage of a home. The man, identified as Gregory Wayne Hopkins, barricaded himself inside the home, which he did not own. Police attempted to convince Hopkins to surrender. During the standoff, several gunshots were heard from inside the house. After losing contact, officers entered the home and found Hopkins barricaded in the bathroom, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/local/heavy-law-enforcement-presence-prompts-closure-of-fleming-island-road-florida/77-a87b5996-8088-4441-bfbb-f26be6cd869c

Deputies from the Marion County Sheriff's Office responded to a call regarding a shooting in Dunnellon. Michael Chiswick allegedly shot and killed his mother, Joann Chiswick, 63, in the front yard of his home before barricading himself inside. During the standoff, Chiswick reportedly fired shots at a deputy and others. Around 1:30 a.m., police entered the home and found Michael Chiswick and his grandmother, Flory Chiswick, 85, dead from gunshot wounds.

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2021/03/08/shooting-prompts-hours-long-swat-standoff-in-marion-county/

On 03/06/2021, one motor-vehicle traffic fatality in San Bernardino County, California, is documented by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).

FARS, the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, is the federal census of qualifying fatal motor-vehicle traffic crashes occurring on public roadways in the United States. The entry records one fatality in San Bernardino County on 03/06/2021.

Available public records do not provide enough information to reliably identify the deceased person, exact roadway or municipality associated with this FARS entry.

Available records also do not establish that the fatal crash occurred during a police pursuit or attempted traffic stop. No independently documented fatal pursuit on 03/06/2021 in San Bernardino County could be reliably matched to this FARS entry.

https://www.nhtsa.gov/research-data/fatality-analysis-reporting-system-fars
https://sbcfire.org/newsclipsarchive/
https://www.sbcounty.gov/uploads/SBCFire/documents/NewsClips/2021/03/20210306-08.NC.pdf

On March 6, 2021, at approximately 2:30 a.m., Valley Brook Police attempted to stop a vehicle on Southeast 59th Street and Shields Boulevard. The driverdid not stop. Police escalated a chase that ended when he crossed shields Boulevard and collided with two other vehicles.

The crash resulted in the death of Derrick Dewayne Alexander, as well as injuries to others. A passenger from one of the other vehicles was transported to a local hospital in critical condition and later died.Lujan was remembered as a kindhearted individual who had taken custody of his 12-year-old brother three years prior.
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https://www.news9.com/story/60484c35179e160bc286bfc8/family-remembers-innocent-man-killed-in-crash-during-valley-brook-police-chase
• https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2021/03/07/fatal-okc-police-pursuit-leaves-two-dead-several-injured/4609238001/

On March 6, 2021, at approximately 2:30 a.m., officers from the Valley Brook Police Department attempted to stop a vehicle near Southeast 59th Street and Shields Boulevard in Oklahoma City. The driver fled, leading to a pursuit lasting less than a minute. During the chase, the driver’s vehicle collided with two other vehicles, resulting in the death of Derrick Dewayne Alexander. A passenger in one of the other vehicles was transported to a local hospital in critical condition and later died.

1. https://www.news9.com/story/6046aa127edbd90bb2dc1860/man-identified-after-he-died-in-a-chase-with-valley-brook-police
2. https://www.news9.com/story/60484c35179e160bc286bfc8/family-remembers-innocent-man-killed-in-crash-during-valley-brook-police-chase
3. https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2021/03/07/fatal-okc-police-pursuit-leaves-two-dead-several-injured/4609238001/