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LV officers cleared in fatal Platte Co, MO shooting

By Brian Hagen

03/14/2024

Platte County, Missouri Prosecutor Eric Zahnd

(KAIR)--Leavenworth Police Officers involved in an August 10, 2023 shooting that left a rape suspect dead have been declared justified in their actions.

That word was delivered Wednesday in a release from Platte County, Missouri prosecutor Eric Zahnd following his review of the shooting that happened on Platte County's Highway 92 when 25-year old Johnathan Heath-Taylor, in Zahnd's words, "repeatedly refused officers' commands" before "he then quickly reached into a backpack and pulled out what officers believed was a gun" that he pointed at them.

The fatal shooting happened after Heath-Taylor, of Leavenworth, fled a Leavenworth rape scene and lead officers on a chase that traveled from Kansas into Missouri before Heath-Taylor pulled over on Highway 92 where officers gave him multiple commands which he refused.

Officers shot two bean bag rounds at Heath-Taylor who then pulled his hand from his backpack with a black object pointed at the officers which they believed to be a gun. It is now thought that the object might have been a cell phone because no gun was found near Heath-Taylor.

Multiple officers opened fire and Heath-Taylor later died at North Kansas City Hospital.

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