Las Vegas Police Release Video Of Thursday's Deadly Shooting

LAS VEGAS, NV - Bodycam footage of an officer involved shooting that killed a Las Vegas man has been released by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police. In a press conference Monday afternoon, LVMPD Assistant Sheriff Charles Hank identified 39-year old Christopher Gatewood as the man police shot and killed while responding to a domestic violence call on March 29.

Officers involved

Officers Rafael Camacho and Kenshin Rose have been identified as the two police officers who shot the rounds that killed Gatewood. Camacho is 28 years old and has been employed by LVMPD for four years. He fired eight rounds at Gatewood. Rose is also 28 years old, has been employed by LVMPD for eight months, and is in field training. He fired four rounds at Gatewood. Gatewood was struck by 11 of the 12 rounds officers fired and was pronounced dead at the scene. Officers Camacho and Rose have been placed on paid administrative leave while LVMPD investigates the incident.

Bodycam footage

Bodycam footage worn by Rose, as well as by a third responding officer who was armed with a taser, shows the interaction between Gatewood and the three officers.

In the video, Camacho and Rose prompt Gatewood to leave the apartment with his hands visible. Gatewood then opens the apartment door and is shown standing in the doorway, holding a knife in his right hand, while clearly agitated.

The officers, standing approximately eight feet away from Gatewood during the interaction, can be heard telling Gatewood to drop the knife. Gatewood is then heard shouting "What are you gonna do?" at the officers.

Officers again tell Gatewood to drop the knife and Gatewood once again shouts "What are you gonna do?" this time taking a step towards officers. As Gatewood takes the step towards the officers, Camacho and Rose fire a total of 12 rounds and the third officer simultaneously deploys his taser.

Hank said the officer who was sent to the scene with a taser wasn't given the opportunity to first use non-lethal force against Gatewood because Gatewood made a move towards officers with the knife in his hand.

"Based on proximity, as I stated with the officers asking and attempting to deescalate the situation asking him to drop the knife, had he not advanced it would likely have given the officer the opportunity to first fire the taser and hopefully resolve the situation without having to use lethal force," Hank said.

The bodycam footage shown by LVMPD cuts out the moment shots are fired. Three seconds elapse from the time Gatewood is entirely visible in the doorway until the first round is shot.

Additional details

Hank said that Metro police responded to a domestic violence call at 11:43 a.m. on Thursday, March 29 and met the victim, who placed the call, outside of an apartment on Paradise Rd. The victim said that Gatewood, her boyfriend, hit her. The victim told police Gatewood was armed with a knife and possibly suicidal.

Hank also said that Gatewood's prior criminal history included two domestic violence arrests. If he would have survived the incident he would have been charged with battery domestic violence and four counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a protected person.

Because of prior calls involving Gatewood at the residence, crisis intervention officers were sent to the scene. Additionally, due to Gatewood being armed and posing a credible threat, LVMPD also created a Supervisors Tactic for Armed Subject Response (STAR) protocol, requiring at least three officers and a patrol supervisor respond to the call.

"Domestic violence calls are unpredictable, emotions are running high with the parties involved, and a lot of times the aggressive party in the incident becomes aggressive with police when they arrive," Hanks said. "While we attempt to resolve these disputes peacefully, sometimes the parties involved dictate how officers must respond. These calls are never easy for officers."

Hank said that in speaking to the victim, Gatewood told her "If you call the cops I'm going to hurt them or make them shoot me." Hank also said that the investigation into the residence uncovered evidence of methamphetamine use, and self-inflicted cuts to Gatewood's wrist.

The shooting is the fourth officer involved shooting LVMPD has been involved in so far in 2018. It's the second one that has resulted in someone's death.

Image of Christoper Gatewood and video of the incident provided by LVMPD