Death by Cop – 2023
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Takar Smith
Case # :6
Age :45
Gender :Male
Race : Black
Date : 01/02/2023
Location : 200 block of S. Witmer Street
City : Westlake
County : Los Angeles
State : California
Agency : LAPD
Officer(s) : Joseph Zizzo, Nicolas Alejandre
Cause of death : Gunshot
Event : Killed by police during mental health crisis
Disposition : No Known charges
Open records summary :
Smith’s wife went into an LAPD police station and asked for help because her husband was having a mental health crisis. When police arrived, they very aggressively tackled him in the apartment. He used a bike to defend himself, was tasered and per police report allegedly grabbed a knife while under attack and was shot and killed. The Police Commission ruled the shooting not to be justified. Criminal charges are pending.
Source links :
https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/lapd-kills-knife-wielding-man-in-westlake/3065448/
https://www.newsweek.com/three-fatal-incidents-lapd-chief-deeply-concerned-1773393
https://www.dailynews.com/2023/01/11/la-police-chief-concerned-by-3-use-of-force-deaths-last-week/
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/feb/14/los-angeles-police-shoot-kill-takar-smith
https://atlantablackstar.com/2023/01/06/lapd-kills-mentally-ill-black-man/
https://ktla.com/news/local-news/family-of-father-killed-during-lapd-shooting-wants-justice/
Michael J. Hanna
Case # :5
Age :49
Gender :Male
Race : White
Date : 01/01/2023
Location : Highway 71
City : West Fork
County : Washington
State : Arkansas
Agency : West Fork PD,Arkansas State Police
Officer(s) : Unknown
Cause of death : Taser
Event : Killed by police, circumstances unclear
Disposition : No Known charges
Open records summary :
Michael J. Hanna died after being assaulted physically and with a taser by the Arkansas State Police on Highway 71.Hanna died as a result. An eyewitness describes a large police presence converging upon Hanna.The circumstances are unclear. No officers were charged.There is no public record of the officers having been cleared by the 1-year anniversary of this killing. It is not known whether the case is still open or has quietly been cleared by the DA or anyone else.
Hanna’s parents question the need for any use of force and question the police narrative.
Source links :
https://www.4029tv.com/article/west-fork-police-fight-death/42370156#
Name Not Disclosed
Case # :4
Age :
Gender :Unknown
Race : Unknown
Date : 01/01/2023
Location : S State Rd+Sunset Dr
City : Jacksonville
County : Jackson
State : Oregon
Agency : Jacksonville PD
Officer(s) : Unknown
Cause of death : Vehicle
Event : Killed by police chase crash for “reckless driving”
Disposition : No Known charges
Open records summary :
Jacksonville Police Department were sent to check on a “reckless” vehicle on Jan. 1, 2023 and found it swerving on the roadway heading toward Jacksonville from Caty Road, tried to pull it over but the vehicle didn’t stop. Deputies escalated a chase and the driver lost control of the vehicle, hit a tree near the intersection of South State Road and Sunset Drive and died. The name was not released. No officers were charged.
Source links :
https://www.fox26medford.com/driver-dies-after-pursuit-in-jackson-county/
Name Not Disclosed
Case # :3
Age :32
Gender :Male
Race : Unknown
Date : 01/01/2023
Location : 800 block of Joni Ln
City : Redlands
County : San Bernardino
State : California
Agency : Redlands PD
Officer(s) : Unknown
Cause of death : Gunshot
Event : Unknown
Disposition : No Known charges
Open records summary :
A 32-year-old unnamed Redlands man died after being shot by police in his home. Redlands PD alleges that he pointed aweaponat officers during an incident in the early morning hours of Jan. 1 at the 800 block of Joni Lane at about 3:30 a.m. during a domestic violence disturbance. He was shot and killed. No officers were charged.
Source links :
Merrill Mischa Pataski-Fay
Case # :2
Age :17
Gender :Male
Race : White
Date : 01/01/2023
Location : 5 Varney Point Road
City : Gilford
County : Belknap
State : New Hampshire
Agency : Guilford PD
Officer(s) : Sergeant Douglas Wall (shooter), Nathan Ayotte (taser)
Cause of death : Gunshot, taser
Event : Guilford PD was called about a minor with mental health issues and a knife. They arrived and officerNathan Ayotte deployed a taser while Sgt. Douglas Wall fired one shot, killing Merrill Mischa Pataski-Fay.No officers were charged.
Disposition : No Known charges
Open records summary :
Guilford PD was called about a minor with mental health issues and a knife. They arrived and officerNathan Ayotte deployed a taser while Sgt. Douglas Wall fired one shot, killing Merrill Mischa Pataski-Fay.No officers were charged.
Source links :
https://patch.com/new-hampshire/concord-nh/man-armed-knife-shot-killed-gilford-police-inside-house
https://www.currentobituary.com/obit/272063
https://www.wmur.com/article/gilford-shooting-mischa-fay-officers-identified-1723/42424069#
https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2023/01/09/new-hampshire-police-shooting-mischa-fay/
Juan Nikely Avalo
Case # :1
Age :33
Gender :Male
Race : Black
Date : 01/01/2023
Location : Burlington Ave
City : Cambridge
County : Ranlo
State : North Carolina
Agency : Ranlo PD
Officer(s) : Kwaku Riley Agyapon
Cause of death : Gunshot
Event : Killed by police during domestic disturbance
Disposition : Off-duty officer charged with 1st degree murder, fired
Open records summary :
Ranlo PD responded to a call for service on Burlington Avenue near Spencer Mountain Road and found Officer Kwaku Riley Agyapon, who was off-duty at that time to have gotten involved in a domestic dispute.
Police said Agyapon was stabbed multiple times, discharged his service weapon and killed 33-year-old Juan NikelyAvalo who had stabbed him.Avalo was taken to the hospital where he later died.
State Bureau of Investigation said they obtained a warrant for first-degree murder against officer Agyapon. He was terminated from the PD after he was charged with first-degree murder. Officer Agapyon is married to Shana Lanham, the mother of toddler Addison Laham who was two years old when she died in a Gaston County motel in 2011 from a broken leg that went untreated for weeks, became infected with MRSA and killed her.
Source links :
https://news.yahoo.com/off-duty-ranlo-police-officer-204515026.html
https://sports.yahoo.com/off-duty-police-officer-stabbed-173147919.html