Reno, NV (KRNV & MyNews4.com) — The family of Kenny Stafford is speaking out after he was shot and killed by police after walking through a neighborhood with a gun on July 11, 2013.
Officials with the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office have not yet released the name of the armed man who was shot and killed by officers on Thursday, however the victim’s family reached out to News 4 to tell their story.
Kenny Stafford, 27, was an active military member who grew up in the Reno area. Stafford was stationed in Washington State, but he was in town to visit family and friends and attend a memorial for a young man he considered a brother. That young man was Ryan Connelly. Connelly, 17, was shot and killed on July 7, 2012 while walking home from the store, his murder is still unsolved.
A year and four days later, July 11, 2013 Stafford left the apartment he had been staying at in Reno, with a gun. His wife Aimee called 911, she says, “I was just trying to get him some help, I pleaded with them not to hurt him, because he was sick and then they took him.”
Stafford’s wife described her 911 call, “He’s sick, He needs help. Please don’t hurt him. Please don’t kill him. Please take him somewhere where he can get some help.”
Authorities say Stafford was suicidal, but his family says he was suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the unsolved murder of Ryan Connelly had taken a toll on him.
According to Washoe County Officials, while officers were attempting to negotiate with Stafford, officers opened fire. Authorities have not said what prompted police to shoot him, that’s still under investigation.
Ryan Connelly’s mother, Deana says she was near the scene when shots were fired along with Stafford’s mom, wife and sister. They say they were pleading with officers to let them talk to him.
In the final report Washoe County District Attorney, Richard Gammick determined the shooting to be justified under all applicable laws.
Stafford’s wife, Aimee doesn’t accept that decision, “I don’t see anything about that situation that was justifiable, um he was shot 15, 14 or 15 times. There’s no need for that ad the places he was shot, there’s no need for that.”
The autopsy report reveals 14 bullets hit Stafford, in his forehead, neck, chest, abdomen, ankle, knee and thigh.
Gammick says, “The officers have to make a call. Unless you’ve warn the badge, unless you’ve been out there and confronted people with weapons, you don’t understand that those decisions are made in split seconds, it’s not something you can 20/20 hindsight and spend the next four months analyzing.”
Prior to officers opening fire, reports indicate that police requested a less lethal device, “Officers requested a 40mm launcher, which would have had a mid-range potential solution,” says Sparks Police Chief Brian Allen.
That device was never used and officers say Stafford escalated his behavior “to the point of quickly turning towards the officers in the backyard in a manner such as to point the shotgun at them.”
Sparks Police Chief Brian Allen says the audio and video captured that day illustrates that all five shooting officers reacted simultaneously firing 22 shots, 14 of them hitting Stafford.
Sparks police responded to a report of a suicidal man with a gun on the city’s north side about 1:40 p.m. on July 11 and Reno police soon joined in a search for the suspect.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/crime-courts/man-shot-police-reno-was-active-duty-soldier
http://www.kolotv.com/home/headlines/Reno-Police-Investigate-Shooting-215146181.html
https://www.facebook.com/KennthStafford
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/rgj/obituary.aspx?pid=165930362
Shot in the USA: Gun Violence After Newtown 