Police shooting ruled justifiable

      Three Las Vegas police officers were justified in the shooting death of a Las Vegas man in February, an inquest jury ruled Friday.
      Police shot Ryan Henderson, 20, inside his parents' home in southeast Las Vegas on Feb. 18. A Clark County coroner's inquest jury deliberated about an hour late Friday afternoon before returning its verdict of justifiable homicide.
      Testimony during the inquest documented a dramatic gunbattle in which three officers were forced to dodge bullets before one shot an armed Henderson with a shotgun at close range.
      "He was actually trying to kill us," said officer Andrew Locher, who fired the shots that killed Henderson. "There was no doubt in my mind."
      Locher, 30, and fellow officers Lawrence Foster, 26, and Clinton Malburg, 28, went to Henderson's home about 7 a.m. after family members called police, saying that Henderson had a gun and was acting irrationally. It was the second time that night police were called to the home at 4882 San Sebastian Drive, near the intersection of Flamingo Road and Mountain Vista Street. Hours earlier, police went to the home for a similar call but found Henderson had already left.
      When Locher, Foster and Malburg entered with guns drawn, Henderson emerged from a rear room and into a hallway, pointing a handgun at Malburg, according to testimony Friday.
      Malburg testified that as he crouched behind the edge of a wall in the hallway, he told Henderson to drop the gun. Henderson said nothing, and shots were exchanged. Malburg said he couldn't remember who fired first, but said he was concerned for his life when he saw Henderson pointing the gun at him.
      "I turned and saw he was pointing a stainless steel handgun at me," Malburg said. "... I was shooting at him and he was there one second and then he was gone."
      Henderson shot at Malburg four times, missing the three-year member of the force "by inches," Malburg said in a videotaped re-enactment of the shooting that was played for the jury. The three shots that Malburg fired at Henderson also missed.
      According to testimony, while Malburg was involved in the gunfight with Henderson, Locher and Foster were flanking the suspect, inching their way through the interior of the home. As Henderson neared the other two officers, Foster fired one shot at Henderson, which also missed. As Henderson kept moving to the kitchen of the residence, Locher, who was armed with a shotgun, said he soon found himself standing directly in front of Henderson.
      "He saw me and turned and I fired at that time," Locher said, noting he fired four shots.
      Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney Dan Bowman said autopsy results indicate Henderson was shot in the chest, thigh and knee. The autopsy also revealed Henderson had THC, the prime intoxicating component of marijuana, in his system at the time of his death. Bowman said Henderson's blood-alcohol content registered at .17. According to Nevada law, an individual is presumed by law enforcement to be intoxicated at .10.
      Malburg testified the scenario was so intense that after Henderson was shot and bleeding profusely on the floor of the home, officers stepped on his moving arm out of fear that he was reaching for a firearm.
      "He moved his arms, and there was already blood coming out from underneath him," Malburg said. "He was bleeding pretty heavily."
      The three officers were questioned about their decision to enter the home instead of trying to talk with Henderson from outside the house, or calling in police negotiators. Each said they felt it was better that Henderson be approached in person, and that it is not feasible to call in negotiators each time police respond to a call involving an armed individual.
      "Normally in this type of situation, our mere presence is enough for them to surrender," Locher said.
      Henderson's mother said after the verdict that her family was distraught by what she perceived as negative media portrayals of her son.
      "Ryan certainly had another side to him," Carol Henderson said, noting her son had recently obtained a two-year degree in electronics and was planning for a bright future.
      Family members declined further comment.
      Police had also identified Henderson as a suspect in two other drive-by shootings that occurred near his home in the hours before he was killed. No one was injured in those attacks.