Police identify Lexington officer who shot suspect. Cop placed on administrative assignment
Kentucky State Police have released the name of the Lexington police officer who shot a woman accused of attempted murder and several other offenses.
The name of the officer is Jordan Whitman, state police said. He has been with the Lexington Police Department for three years. Whitman was placed on administrative assignment after the shooting. He’ll be considered for reinstatement pending the outcome of the investigation, according to state police.
According to Whitman’s personnel file, which was obtained by the Herald-Leader through the Kentucky Open Records Act, he was placed on level one administrative assignment. Lexington police policy dictates that officers have certain restrictions when on level one administrative assignment, though those restrictions are less severe than the restrictions on higher levels.
Restrictions for level one administrative assignment include:
- Officers are encouraged to avoid the exercise of police authority, unless the situation creates a significant public safety hazard or emergency.
- Officers are not authorized to wear a department uniform or any clothing displaying the department’s badge or insignia.
- The officer’s weapon, badge and handcuffs must be concealed unless the officer is inside a department building or facility.
- Officers are prohibited from wearing a duty belt or any duty belt accessories other than OC or handcuffs.
- Officers are prohibited from working or engaging in any off-duty employment that requires the use of, or potential use of, police authority.
- Officers are prohibited from working overtime assignments that require the use of, or potential use of, police authority.
- The officer may be directed to exchange a marked police vehicle for an unmarked vehicle.
- The officer is expected to comply with all served criminal subpoenas.
An officer under level one administrative assignment is authorized to participate in in-service, qualifications and other training as approved by the department.
The shooting happened on Feb. 7 on the 2300 block of Lonan Court. Police said they were responding to a report of “a domestic violence incident involving a weapon,” but officers found no victim or suspect when they arrived.
Less than an hour later officers were called back to the area for a report of “wanton endangerment involving a collision,” according to police. Lasielle White, 29, allegedly tried to hit someone with a vehicle and then hit a residence.
White was in the vehicle and refused to get out when officers arrived. Police said she backed into a cruiser, then drove forward and almost hit several firefighters.
“In response to the life-threatening situation, an officer fired their weapon, striking the driver,” said police chief Lawrence Weathers.
Police said White’s injuries were not life-threatening. Court documents say White caused more than $1,000 in damage by colliding with the cruiser.
White then left the scene, and police pursued her through parts of Fayette and Scott counties before she stopped in Coldstream Park, according to police. Sometime later White got out of the vehicle after Lexington Police Department’s crisis negotiation unit made contact with her.
She was sent to a local hospital before being booked into the Fayette County Detention Center.
Weathers said the officer had his body-worn camera activated. State police are investigating, and he said the police department’s Public Integrity Unit will conduct an internal review too.
White has been charged with attempted murder, wanton endangerment, criminal mischief and fleeing/evading police, according to court records. Court documents say that prior to the shooting, White tried to stab a man with a kitchen knife, but a cross-body bag prevented the knife from penetrating his chest. White subsequently slashed the two front tires of his car.
The victim spoke at a hearing one week after the incident, saying he did not feel that White had an intent to kill him. He said she told him while she was engaged in the police chase that she did not mean to hurt him.
Fayette District Judge John Tackett reduced White’s bond from $75,000 to $7,500 as long as White would adhere to conditions upon her release, including wearing an ankle monitor and going to therapy appointments.
Tackett cited White’s extreme low risk for future criminal activity based on her past history, and the amount of support she had from family to help her receive mental health treatment as his reasoning for reducing the bond.
“This (bond reduction) is extremely lenient based on your criminal history, and your support from those in your community who want to make sure you are not incarcerated while this case is pending,” Tackett said. “But we have to make sure the community is safe too.”
White posted bond one day afterward, according to court records.
Reporter Taylor Six contributed to this story.
This story was originally published February 28, 2023 at 2:19 PM.
