LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) released body camera footage of two recent instances where officers shot suspects.
Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel reiterated the department’s new protocol to release officer-involved body-worn camera footage within 10 business days.
Both are separate instances that took place this month.
In the first instance Dec. 8, LMPD detectives initiated a traffic stop near Churchill Downs.
The suspect, 28-year-old Marvin Smith, fled on foot from officers. Officers chased Smith to 4th Street and Central Avenue. The body camera video is of Sgt. Joshua Arnwine. In the video, he can be heard telling Smith to drop the gun from his hand more than 10 times.
“The officer clearly did not shoot this person as soon as he came out with a gun, so he didn't assess that as being a lethal force encounter at that point," said Deputy Chief Paul Humphrey. "Something changed along the way, and that's part of what the officer has to articulate. Factors that go into that are not black and white; they have to be based on the totality of the circumstances known to the officer at the time from their perspective.”
Officers helped save Smith’s life. First responders transported Smith to the University of Louisville (UofL) hospital.
The second instance took place Thursday, Dec. 14 at 429 N. 25th St. in the Portland neighborhood.
Officers received a domestic incident call that night. The caller told 911 operators that a family member was pointing a gun at people in the home. The caller said they believed the suspect may have been on drugs.
When officers arrived, the body-camera video showed loud arguing from the second-floor room.
Officers spoke to people on the ground floor to learn more about the suspect and the number of hostages.
Officers attempted to talk to the suspect through the door. As the situation escalated, officers kicked the door open. Humphrey said the video showing the suspect, 30-year-old Kenneth Clark, had the gun pointed at the door, where a victim was standing behind the door.
As shots were fired, the suspect shot the victim, John Robinson, who died. Humphrey said the suspect also sustained a gunshot wound. Police ultimately shot the suspect, and police are now investigating if the gunshot wound to the head is self-inflicted or if police shot the suspect.
Clark has a mental health history and was released from prison in October. He held three people hostage. Police do not know yet how the hostages are connected to Clark.
First responders transported Clark to the UofL hospital.
"They made decisions to put themselves at an increased level of risk; as opposed to waiting outside the door and keeping themselves safe, they decided they were going to take the risk to themselves in order to try to save that hostage," Humphrey said. "They still lose that hostage even when you rescue one. Ultimately, in this, we started off with three hostages, and we were able to rescue two of these hostages, one in the actual deliberate hostage rescue incident. But to lose a hostage is a very, very hard event for an officer, and you can you can see the toll that these events take on officers."
LMPD confirmed two officers fired their weapons: First Division Officer Shaine Edmondson and Officer Jeffrey Goldman. Both have been members of LMPD since April.
Both instances are still under investigation and evaluation.
According to LMPD, there have been 10 officer-involved shootings this year.