Henderson police shooting set for inquest

A jury will be convened Sept. 10 for a Clark County coroner's inquest into the July 3 shooting death of a man by Henderson police.

Richie Nolton, 42, died from a gunshot wound to the neck, according to the coroner's office. He was shot after he came out of a house waving a handgun and refused to put it down, police said.

The officer who fired the fatal shot is Brian Pollard, who was hired by the department in 1994.

The standoff began after officers surrounded Nolton's house at 618 Severn St., near East Horizon Drive and Greenway Road. Police said they were responding to a domestic dispute at 6:50 a.m.

A coroner's inquest jury will determine whether Pollard's actions were justifiable, excusable or criminal.

A witness to the shooting told the Review-Journal that she saw Nolton came out of the home, with his teenage son and an unleashed pit bull in the front yard. Police were yelling at Nolton to put his dog back in the house, the witness said.

Nolton then re-entered the house and emerged again with his son and dog. Police yelled at Nolan to put down a gun.

The neighbor said there appeared to be something in his right hand, but she could not make it out. Nolton then walked back inside and emerged again without the dog. The neighbor said she saw a gun in Nolton's right hand that he was moving back and forth while it was pointed at the ground. The neighbor said she heard Nolton telling police to shoot him.

The neighbor said Nolton hugged his son and took one step away from the teenager. That is when the officer fired one shot, killing him, the neighbor said.

Inquests are open to the public and are held in the downtown Regional Justice Center.