Teen shot by Howard County officers wanted to be shot before
A Howard County teenager shot and critically wounded by Howard County police officers had told authorities before that he wanted to be shot. On a standoff with police in early October, authorities said he told an officer to shoot him -- "just do it" and "make it quick."
Here's an account of the shooting by The Sun's Andrea F. Siegel:
The shooting of a teenager by six Howard County police officers comes several weeks after he told officers to shoot him and "make it quick," and was his third incident with local police in two months, department officials said Tuesday.
"He's had some psychological problems, but he's never hurt anyone but himself," said Kenneth Nichols, whose son, Jeffrey Dustin Nichols, 19, suffered eight gunshot wounds Monday. He was in critical condition Tuesday at the Maryland Shock Trauma Center.
Kenneth Nichols said his son was a whiz in math and science, and had been a student at the Community College of Baltimore County. He said his son took this semester off to focus on personal issues, and had recently been hospitalized. Now, he said, "I just pray he makes it."
Read here for the complete story, including names of the six police officers involved in the shooting.
Howard County police released a new statement on the shooting Wednesday morning, saying that the teen had on prior occasions threatened officers with a knife and was cutting himself. Police also said that in the latest shooting he was armed with a pellet gun that looked like a real gun.
Here is the statement:
Howard County police are releasing additional details today about a shooting Monday in which officers shot an armed man who refused to drop his weapon. The suspect remains in critical condition at Shock Trauma.
Police received a 911 call around 3 p.m. Monday that a man with a gun had fired shots in Hanover. Police responded and saw an unidentified man with a handgun walking near Loudon Ave. and Melrose Ave. The officers ordered the man to drop the weapon, but he did not comply. Officers continued to follow the man, who walked along railroad tracks to the back parking lot of an industrial park in the 7400 block of Hi Tech Drive.
Officers repeatedly ordered the man to drop the weapon, but he continued to refuse. Officers fired shots at the suspect, striking him. The suspect has been identified as Jeffrey Dustin Nichols, 19, of the 6600 block of Grouse Rd. in Elkridge, Md. He suffered a total of eight gun shots to his torso and extremities. He is at Shock Trauma where he remains in critical condition.
Investigators have determined his weapon was a pellet gun designed to look like a real, semi-automatic handgun.
Prior to this incident, Nichols had been taken into custody by Howard County police last month following a stand-off with officers at his home. In that incident, which occurred Oct. 7, Nichols called 911 indicating that he needed assistance. Officers arrived and found Nichols outside brandishing a knife. According to the police report, Nichols made statements to officers that he wanted police to shoot him, to “just do it” and “make it quick.”
Nichols ignored commands to drop the knife and began stabbing and cutting himself. Tactical officers took him into custody and transported him to the hospital for evaluation. A similar incident occurred at Nichols’ home on Sept. 11. Police were called to the residence for a subject cutting his
arms with a knife. According to the police report, officers found Nichols bleeding and took him to the hospital for evaluation.
Investigators have confirmed the following officers fired their weapons during Monday’s incident:
PFC Joshua Mouton, 4-year officer
PFC Brian Klakring, 5-year officer
PFC James Zammillo, 7-year officer
PFC Bryce Buell, 10-year officer
PFC Ryan Saulsbury, 10-year officer
Sgt. Jayson Janowich,12-year officer
One additional officer was involved in attempting to apprehend Nichols during this incident:
PFC Ronald Mabe, 13-year officer
The details of the case remain under investigation. All officers are on paid administrative
Categories: Howard County, Police shootings
Comments
I dont understand that there was no one that would shoot the questionable firearm from his hand instead of shooting with intent to kill knowing full well he was young and troubled and asking to be shot. It is clear there was plenty of time since conversation took place and the lead person to give orders for disarmament, not everyone needed to shoot hum, just disarm him. I am outraged by the lack of regard for this childs life when the fact is he was shot 8 times and all that needed to be done was to shoot to disarm. It does not seems proper chain of command was established when it was evident there was time to think an appropriate plan of action. I am sorry this happened and feel this death could have been avoided. What? His body needed to be showered with an array of bullets? Everybody had to shoot? No one In charge?
Posted by: Loretta Yohe | November 15, 2011 12:37 AM