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Law On Side Of Enforcers: Rightly Killed Woman

DA Steve Howe(L), Maj Simon Haffer, Overland Park P.D. explain shooting by Prairie Village officer.
photo by dan verbeck
DA Steve Howe(L), Maj Simon Haffer, Overland Park P.D. explain shooting by Prairie Village officer.

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kcur/local-kcur-900164.mp3

Olathe, Kan. – A Prairie Village police officer was justified in killing a woman in her apartment last March. The Johnson County District Attorney made the finding after studying an investigation by a shooting-review team.

D.A. Steve Howe said police had tried to calm Susan Stucky who was mentally disturbed and that she refused to go for treatment voluntarily the day before the March 31st shooting. And when she threatened police with a baseball bat and threw a butcher knife, the shooting was permissible.

"No officer goes to work that day wanting to shoot any individual, and especially a situation like this," Howe said. "And it's a tragic result, but it's not one that requires us to file any kind of criminal charges involving this officer."

Howe said police had decided it was time to take the 47 year old woman into custody because she was dangerous to herself and others in the apartment complex. They had tried twice to taser her but the barbs of the taser stuck in her clothing and it had no effect.

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