Metro Police
Officers shot and killed a man holding this object, which later turned out to be a homemade plastic sword, on Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018, in the 5400 block of Tinker Toy Avenue, according to Metro Police.
Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018 | 3:42 p.m.
Lloyd Napouk
Toting an object police later learned was a homemade plastic sword, a man stood nonchalantly and puffed a cigarette as officers with their guns drawn pleaded with him to drop the item and talk to them, Metro Police said today.
But the 44-year-old man ignored them and was fatally shot Saturday when he moved toward the officers, Clark County Assistant Sheriff Charles Hank said. The five-minute lead-up to Lloyd Napouk’s death was captured by the officers’ body-worn cameras.
The incident unfolded after a 911 caller reported at 12:17 a.m. Saturday that a man who appeared to be carrying a stick or device to unlock cars was peering into vehicles and walking through yards, police said.
Sgt. Buford Kenton and Officer Cameran Gunn found Napouk in front of a home in the 5400 block of Tinker Toy Avenue, near Lindell and Robindale roads, Hank said.
“Put it on the ground now,” Gunn repeatedly told Napouk, who was wearing earphones. “It’s all good, man. We can talk.”
Kenton, who motioned to Napouk to remove the earphones, said, “You’re not in any trouble; just drop the weapon and we’ll talk, OK?”
Napouk mumbled his words and was only heard saying, “Get out of here.” At one point he raised the plastic sword.
As Napouk moved toward the officers, they warned him they were going to shoot.
“Just drop it, bud. I don’t want to shoot you today. It’s not worth it,” Kenton said, warning him not to take another step. That’s when gunfire erupted.
Kenton fired three shots and Gunn four, Hank said. Napouk was hit multiple times and died at the scene.
Kenton had requested an officer armed with a gun that fires low-lethality beanbag rounds to respond, but they didn’t get there in time, Hank said.
Napouk lived with his girlfriend about a mile away, and investigators have yet to determine what he was doing in the neighborhood, police said.
This was the 21st shooting and the 11th fatality involving Metro officers this year, compared to 19 during the same period in 2017, Hank said.
