LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The number of officer-involved shootings in the Las Vegas Metropolitan Department's jurisdiction has gone up drastically so far in 2024.
Metro reports there have been 13 OIS so far this year, 8 of them deadly.
At this time last year, there were 6 OIS, 2 of which were fatal.
After we shared the story of the deadly November 12th OIS near Sunset Park, many viewers left comments on our social media platforms questioning the actions of the Metro officer involved.
Metro said their officer, 26-year-old Alexander Bookman, was involved and is now on routine administrative leave.
Channel 13 spoke to two law enforcement experts to weigh in on the incident.
Both experts said OIS is a complex topic based on reasonable standards. According to Metro's use of force policy, factors that include reasonableness include the severity of the crime, whether the subject poses a threat and whether the subject is resisting arrest.
Retired Union City, New Jersey Deputy Chief of Police and Owner of East Coast Private Investigations Joe Blaettler said the bodycam video could show excessive use of force.
"From what I'm looking at, from what they're releasing, I don't see the danger to the officer," said Blaettler. "I don't see the danger to the guy with no shirt. I don't see a danger to the guy in red.
The call began as a report from 43-year-old Brandon Durham stating that there was a shooting at his home.
Several officers arrived on the scene, including Officer Bookman, who can be seen in the bodycam footage kicking the front door and entering the house.
Bookman goes down a hallway yelling, "Metro police!" He then encounters two people struggling over a knife.
It is difficult to distinguish who is holding the knife in the video, but there is a shirtless man on the right, who we know now is Durham, and a person in a red hoodie on the left, who police identified as 31-year-old Alejandra Boudreaux.
Officer Bookman commands the two to drop the knife, and just a second later, you can hear gunshots before both people fall to the ground. Durham was killed.
"He's continuing to fire while they're on the ground," said Blaettler. "Everything happens so quickly in real-time, but that's where training comes in. I mean, cops are trained to handle these types of situations."
Retired Hobbs, New Mexico police officer Antonio De La Fuente believes the shooting could be justified.
"I don't know what's going on in the officer's mind," said De La Fuente. "He shows up, hears people yelling in the house, makes entry because a guy is armed in the house somewhere. I really couldn't hear if there was somebody in the house yelling. Officers do have a right to protect people, property and themselves as well."
Metro's use of force policy also states officers should only use deadly force "in the most extreme circumstances where lesser means of force have failed or could not be reasonably considered."
Whether Officer Bookman attempted other less deadly use of force was not mentioned during a Metro press conference on Thursday about the OIS.
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Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren said it's still early in the investigation.
"I can't speculate on exactly what the officer knew at the time or what the perception of threat was at the time," said Koren.
