Nicholasville police, family continue to disagree after Desman LaDuke’s shooting death
Family speaks out after deadly shooting involving Nicholasville police
JESSAMINE COUNTY, Ky. (WTVQ)
10/31/22 6:25 p.m.
The Nicholasville Police Department has released an updated statement regarding the shooting death of Desman LaDuke. The department issued the following statement on Monday:
As the Kentucky State Police continue their investigation into the events of Saturday, October 22, The Nicholasville Police Department feels it is imperative to apprise our community of aspects of the incident that have not been reported thus far. While it is impossible to lessen the pain and grief that Desman LaDuke’s family is enduring, we wish to assure all of those affected that our agency made every effort in the interest of achieving a peaceful resolution. Following prolonged and persistent attempts to negotiate with Mr. LaDuke, he appeared in the rear window of his residence pointing two handguns. Despite repeated pleas and orders for him to drop the weapons, he ultimately aimed both handguns at nearby officers. Again, The Nicholasville Police Department continues to cooperate with the Kentucky State Police during the course of this ongoing investigation.
In the meantime, the LaDuke family has issued a response. The family released a formal statement late Monday evening:
It’s beyond upsetting to see the police department continue to put out distorted, piecemeal information. We stand by everything we’ve stated to date. We have supporting video. And for some reason, the department seems to forget that we were also present on scene. When patrol officers arrived, Desman was calm and cooperative with them. He did NOT confront officers with any firearms when they arrived. Shame on the department for claiming otherwise. Then, for some reason, the department made the outrageous decision to form a perimeter around Desman’s home and point nine rifles at all the doors and windows. Now, the police appear to claim that Desman was shot because officers suddenly thought he was going to shoot him. They have produced zero evidence of this. Yes, Desman had a gun. So it wouldn’t be surprising if an officer saw in Desman’s room that he was holding a gun. But he was only a threat to himself. Officers pointing rifles at him certainly didn’t deescalate things. It made it worse. Simply put, we called for a wellness check on Desman. Not a swat team mission designed to take his life. Their actions have devastated us. It is inexcusable.
Kentucky State Police continues its’ investigation.
10/27/22 9:25 p.m.
A ‘family guy’ and a ‘talented athlete’, that’s how loved ones of Desman LaDuke describe the 22-year-old who was shot and killed by Nicholasville police on Saturday. Five days after the deadly shooting, the family sat down with ABC 36’s Erica Bivens, saying they have not heard from police since that day.
The interview comes after the Nicholasville Police Department issued a statement Thursday. It’s a statement the family says is “false”, adding that more training is needed for officers who respond to mental health calls.
“I wish that I never called the police. I wish I would have just called him first until I could get there,” said Melissa Marks, the aunt of Desman LaDuke.
It was supposed to be a call for help, something Marks will never forget last Saturday, after LaDuke’s girlfriend called her saying he had a gun and was threatening to commit suicide.
“I was like I’m almost an hour away; I’m in Richmond right now. I’m leaving right now,” shared Marks.
It’s also a call Marks says she never would have made if she was here.
“Then they were outside pointing the guns and stuff at him by the time I got there. And he said he didn’t want to talk to anybody else but me,” said Marks.
Marks had custody of LaDuke after his mother passed away and thought of him like a son.
But that Saturday afternoon, Nicholasville police responded to Green Street, shortly after, LaDuke’s brother Kahnan Leslie arrived.
“When I first got there, the officer said they seen Desman through the door, through the windows, and they’re like ‘hey man can we talk to you’? And he just waved bye, he wouldn’t say nothing to them. He just waved bye and walked away,” said Leslie.
Family members say they weren’t allowed to go inside the home to talk to the 22-year-old who was alone. Instead, they communicated by phone with negotiators.
“He was getting agitated on the phone and he’d hang up. And the negotiator was like ‘oh it’s okay, we go through this for three days at a time, we’ll stay out here as long as we need to.’ And as soon as I got up, the negotiator walked to the back, they shot him,” said Marks.
Nicholasville police issued a statement that says when officers arrived, the department, “immediately activated its special response team and crisis negotiation team, which consists of two negotiators who have been specially trained in working with individuals experiencing mental health issues.”
The statement goes on to say, officers were “confronted by an armed individual” and that, “The crisis team promptly began negotiations; unfortunately, after more than two hours, the situation deteoriated and resulted in the loss of a life.”
The family read the full statement for the first time during our interview.
“Kind of hard to be ‘confronted’ by somebody that you’re not even around,” said Marks. “He stayed in the house,” added Leslie.
Marks says LaDuke was shot through the window. The family is still trying to understand those final moments and what caused police to shoot.
“It’s a dangerous job. I have much respect for the police but in this situation, you were here to help somebody,” said Leslie.
While Kentucky State Police continues its’ investigation, Marks waits for an answer.
“I don’t want the next mom to have to watch her baby get shot and die and get drug out of the house because she called for help,” said Marks.
Funeral services for Desman LaDuke will take place Saturday, Oct. 29th from 11 a.m. until 12 p.m. at Oldham, Roberts & Powell Funeral Home located at 1110 Barnes Mill Road in Richmond. A funeral service will follow at 12 p.m.
10/27/22 9:30 a.m.
Nicholasville police have released a statement regarding Saturday’s deadly shooting. In a statement shared Thursday, police say officers were dispatched to a residence regarding a “suicidal individual possessing firearms”. The department says it, “immediately activated its special response team and crisis negotiation team, which consists of two negotiators who have been specially trained in working with individuals experiencing mental health issues.”
The statement goes on to say, “According to the Kentucky State Police initial investigation, officers arrived at a duplex and were ‘confronted by an armed individual.’ The crisis team promptly began negotiations; unfortunately, after more than two hours, the situation deteoriated and resulted in the loss of a life.”
“It is always difficult for family members and our community when a tragic event like this occurs,” said Chief Todd Justice of the Nicholasville Police Department. “Our officers do their best in situations like this, with immediate threats to the safety of themselves and others. We contacted the Kentucky State Police immediately following the incident and are cooperating fully with their ongoing investigation.”
10/25/22, 2:47 p.m.
LaDuke’s family is now speaking out.
LaDuke’s family attorney says “much of what has been said is false” and “police have done nothing to correct it.”
A letter from the family’s attorney to ABC 36 says LaDuke was alone in his home when he was shot “through” the bedroom window and that any suggestion that officers were threatened “inside” the home is false.
We reached out to KSP for comment, but haven’t heard back as of publishing time.
10/23/22, 4:36 p.m.
22-year-old Desman LaDuke has been identified as the man who died from a gunshot wound, the Fayette County coroner said.
10/23/22, 12:22 a.m.
Kentucky State Police are investigating a Saturday officer-involved shooting in Nicholasville.
According to KSP, the Nicholasville Police Department responded to a call of a suicidal person at a home on Green Street around 1:30 p.m. There, they say they were met by an armed man. No other details were given about the shooting itself.
The man was taken to a hospital where he died from a gunshot wound.
