LAFAYETTE, IN — A Lafayette police shooting review board cleared officer Jeremy Kennedy on Thursday of any violation of departmental policies in the May 1 police-action shooting death at 2800 Ravenwood Court.
Kennedy, a officer for seven years, and officer Evan Sturgeon, an officer for five years, both were inside the apartment to help a woman and her juvenile son to leave a domestic violence threat coming from Kenneth Smith, 55.
Kennedy and Sturgeon, who are trained in domestic violence awareness and de-escalation, were inside the upstairs apartment about 9 p.m. May 1 when Smith fired shots from a bedroom, police said Friday. Kennedy returned fire, striking Smith. He died from shots to the head and torso, according to an autopsy report.
“The (shooting review) board concluded that the actions of both officers were within department policy. No violations were found,” according to a news release published at 12:20 p.m. Friday.
Indiana Open Records laws state that investigating officers’ names, as well as names of victims, are to be public no later than 24 hours after an incident. Since May 2, the Journal & Courier repeatedly asked for the officers’ names. The Lafayette Police Department did not release the information until Friday.
As with any police-action shooting, Kennedy and Sturgeon were placed on paid leave until the department’s firearm board reviewed the actions.
The boards clearing Kennedy and Sturgeon means that the two are now eligible to return to work.
The shooting review board’s decision does not clear them of any possible criminal charges. That is done by the prosecutor.
Tippecanoe County Prosecutor Patrick Harrington published a news release Friday afternoon about the shooting.
“The Tippecanoe County Prosecutor’s Office reviewed reports, statements, body camera footage, scene investigation, and other evidence submitted by the Lafayette Police Department,” the news release states.
“The Tippecanoe County Prosecutor’s Office will not be filing criminal charges in this matter.”
“Based on review of the evidence and the applicable law, the use of deadly force by Officer Jeremy Kennedy of the Lafayette Police Department was a proper exercise of his rights of self-defense and defense of others, and therefore, his actions were legally justified under the law,” the news release states.
Reach Ron Wilkins at rwilkins@jconline.com. Follow on Twitter: @RonWilkins2.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Lafayette police officers cleared by review board in May 1 police-action shooting
Reporting by Ron Wilkins, Lafayette Journal & Courier / Lafayette Journal & Courier
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