(KAIR)--Members of law enforcement, and first-responders, all involved in assisting during last Friday's tragic death of a 5-year-old Atchison girl in Leavenworth, are being provided with counseling.
“Our focus has been, for the past several days, to provide counseling with a professional association of psychologists,” Leavenworth Police Chief Patrick Kitchens said during a press conference held Wednesday. “The KBI has what they call a peer review team. They've been providing counseling for not only officers involved, the officers that responded, but the dispatchers, firemen, EMS personnel. We've really been focusing on that this week to make sure that they're responding appropriately and processing this event.”
Cadence Harris was in the vehicle driven by 30-year-old Marcus McGowan at the time he was being pursued by authorities. When his vehicle was stopped by construction on Leavenworth's Metropolitan Avenue, he allegedly pointed a gun at officers who then shot and wounded him. In the midst of the chaos, 5-year-old Cadence Harris, the daughter of McGowan's girlfriend, was killed by a gunshot. Although Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson would not comment on whether it's definite that she was killed by McGowan, KBI Special Agent in Charge, Mark Malick, stated earlier that there is no evidence that the child was killed by police gunfire.
As is common procedure, the two officers involved in the shooting have been reassigned to administrative duties for the time being.
McGowan is jailed in Leavenworth County, held on numerous charges, including felony first-degree murder.
His bond is set at $1 million.
His next court appearance is scheduled for August 8th.