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Body cam video shows Spokane PD justified in fatal shooting of knife-wielding man determined to die

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A man determined to die calls police and tells them to kill him, as he holds a large knife in his hand. Body cam footage of the incident, from April 28, shows the tense moments as Michael Kurtz and a Spokane police officer exchange words, just before deadly shots are fired.

“My name is Chris… why don’t you talk to me… what’s going on with you,” the officer says to him.

“I just want to die… kill me,” the man responds.

“We don’t want to do that …Don’t do it,” the officer is heard saying several times.

Officer Chris LeQuire tries deploying his Taser, but it hits Kurtz’s jacket and has no effect on him. Another officer is heard saying “take it” on the video, as Kurtz is seen walking around the trunk of the patrol car– getting just feet away from the officers.

Three shots were fired and Kurtz died on the scene, despite the officers’ attempts to try and save him and get assistance from medics.

As the police officers are tending to the body on the ground, a bystander walks near the scene and starts yelling at the cops, saying they killed a man ‘in cold blood’.  That gentleman is escorted from the scene, the Daily Mail reports.

Kurtz had apparently wanted to commit suicide-by-cop, to be with his recently deceased wife in heaven, KXLY reported.

The use of deadly force in this case was lawful and appropriate, prosecutors said.

Spokane police captain Tracy Meidl stated: “There was the use of cover…there was a use of a Taser as an alternative to lethal force. There were attempts to retreat and the use of lethal force was the final option.”

 

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