Leavenworth police justified in shooting of rape suspect who fled into Missouri: prosecutor

Leavenworth police officers were justified when they fatally shot a 25-year-old man who fled from a domestic violence attack into Missouri last summer, the Platte County prosecutor determined.

Jonathan Heath-Taylor of Leavenworth was critically wounded as officers tried to arrest him following a chase across state lines in the early hours of Aug. 10. He died two days later from his injuries.

Heath-Taylor was suspected in a domestic violence attack that included allegations of attempted first-degree murder, rape, kidnapping and violation of an order of protection, police said.

“This man had just committed a forcible felony, and he repeatedly refused officers’ commands,” Platte County Prosecutor Eric Zahnd said in a statement on Wednesday.

“He then quickly reached into a backpack and pulled out what officers believed was a gun and pointed it at them,” Zahnd said. “For the safety of themselves and other motorists, officers fired, and Mr. Heath-Taylor later died from those gunshots. It’s a tragic outcome that the officers did everything they could to avoid.”

Zahnd said the matter is closed and he will not consider taking any actions against the officers involved.

Along with the statement, Zahnd released a 15-page report explaining his decision and a video clip from the moments before the shooting.

Police shooting followed domestic violence attack

Officers responded about 12:50 a.m. Aug. 10 to assist emergency medical workers and firefighters with a domestic violence attack in the 900 block of Columbia Avenue, according to the report.

There, officers were told that the victim said she had been raped. The victim identified her alleged attacker as Heath-Taylor.

Firefighters told police that Heath-Taylor had walked to the back of the home, but when officers searched the residence, they could not find him. The victim described Heath-Taylor and the dark blue Chevrolet Silverado he was driving.

As an officer exited the home saw Heath-Taylor driving slowly past the house. The officer alerted nearby officers the direction Heath-Taylor was headed and that there was probable cause to arrest him for aggravated domestic battery, according to the report.

Pursuit crosses into Missouri

Officers located Heath-Taylor’s pickup and attempted to stop him. Heath-Taylor failed to stop, leading to a chase captured on police car dash cameras and officers’ body-worn cameras.

Then, during a stop at about 1:40 a.m., Leavenworth officers with their weapons drawn ordered Heath-Taylor to put the pickup in park and step out, telling him he was under arrest. Heath-Taylor didn’t comply and again fled with officers in pursuit.

The chase crossed into Missouri on Missouri 92 highway and then onto the Missouri 45 highway spur.

Heath-Taylor voluntarily pulled over near Stillings Road at about 1:45 a.m., and the pursuing officers drew their weapons and ordered Heath-Taylor to exit the pickup.

According to video from body cameras, when Heath-Taylor got out of the truck, he held a large backpack in both hands. Officers tried to de-escalate the situation by talking to Heath-Taylor.

At one point, Heath-Taylor responded: “You might as well just do it. Just go ahead and shoot me. Just get it over with. You are going to have to shoot me, I am not going back to jail.”

In response, an officer said: “Please don’t do this. It is not worth it.”

The officer also said: “We are begging you not to do this. We do not want to hurt you.”

As traffic approached, officers fired two bean bag rounds, striking him and causing him to hunch over and lean into his truck.

When he emerged from the truck, he quickly pulled his hand from inside the backpack, holding what appeared to be a black object, and pointed it toward the officers.

Thinking it was a gun, multiple Leavenworth police officers fired their weapons, striking Heath-Taylor.

Officers fired 14 rounds

The shooting was investigated by the Platte County Sheriff’s Office, which was not involved in the shooting.

The investigation found that three Leavenworth police officers fired 14 rounds. Three were the bean bag rounds. Two rounds were fired from a Glock 17 GEN 5 .9mm semi-automatic handgun and nine rounds from a Rock River Arms M4 Rifle.

A sheriff deputy interviewed Heath-Taylor’s father who said he and his wife had received a text from their son that said, “Love you papa . . . I’m a lost cause.”

“Leavenworth police officers tried everything possible before discharging their weapons,” Zahnd said. “In the end, to protect themselves and other motorists, they were forced to shoot Mr. Heath-Taylor.

“Missouri law authorizes law enforcement officers to use deadly force to protect themselves and others, and their actions were reasonable and justifiable given the circumstances.”