Man on trial for child abuse charges dies after being shot by Ky. law enforcement
A man who allegedly fled from his jury trial in Tennessee Thursday died after being shot by law enforcement officers at a hotel in Western Kentucky late Thursday night.
Both the Mayfield Police Department and the Graves County Sheriff’s Office said they were involved in the shooting, which happened at about 10 p.m. on West Housman Street in Mayfield.
The man’s identity had not been released as of Friday evening.
The Graves County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by the sheriff’s office in Benton County, Tenn., Thursday evening about “an individual that was wanted on a nationwide extraditable arrest warrant for charges related to felony failure to appear, on underlying charges related to the rape of a child, incest and domestic assault,” Graves County Sheriff Jon Hayden wrote in a post shared on his office’s Facebook page.
The man had been out on bond before his trial, and “as jury deliberations began, the suspect left the court and fled,” according to Hayden.
The man had indicated that he intended to kill himself, and he was thought to be in the Mayfield area.
Based on a vehicle description that had been given to the sheriff’s office, a deputy found the man’s vehicle at the Wingfield Inn, which is near the Graves County High School campus, the post stated.
When the man came out of a motel room near his vehicle, “the deputy approached him and was able to identify the man as the wanted person,” according to the sheriff. “While attempting to take the suspect into custody, a struggle ensued, and the suspect was able to get back through the door into the motel room. A brief standoff ensued as other deputies and officers from the Mayfield Police Department arrived.”
Later, the man came out again “brandishing a handgun, pointing it at deputies and officers. Numerous commands were given, that were ignored. At some point, law enforcement fired, and the suspect was hit and died at the scene,” Hayden wrote.
Kentucky State Police said the coroner pronounced the man dead at the scene.
The Kentucky State Police Critical Incident Response Team is investigating.
The Graves County Sheriff’s Office said two deputies have been placed on paid administrative leave. There is body camera footage of the incident, the sheriff wrote in the social media post.
This story was originally published August 16, 2024 at 6:57 PM.
