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Published Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008 | 6:35 p.m.
Updated Friday, Dec. 5, 2008 | 6:06 p.m.
Henderson Police Press Conference
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diggOn Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008, Chief Richard Perkins of the Henderson police department, held a press conference to address the shooting of 42-year-old Deshira Selimaj by police officer Luke Morrison.
Henderson Police Chief Richard Perkins tried to clarify the circumstances surrounding the shooting death of 42-year-old Deshira Selimaj in an afternoon press conference today at the Henderson Police Department.
"I would have rather not had to come out here at all except for the misinformation which you all have reported," said Perkins, addressing a small group of media members.
After Perkins complained about the "misinformation" that was floating around, and then backed off from that stance when one reporter pointed out part of the information in question was provided by the Henderson police, Perkins got to the point of the press conference — that Selimaj allegedly tried to attack an officer with a knife on Feb. 12 after her husband, Zyber Selimaj, was pulled over in a routine traffic stop.
Police said Deshira Selimaj's attempted lunge at an officer, which came moments after she had threatened the life of one of her sons with a knife, prompted officer Luke Morrison to shoot Selimaj in the center of her body.
"Law enforcement officers are not trained to shoot to injure. They are trained to fend off imminent danger," Perkins said.
Perkins said he was fully confident that Morrison's actions were warranted and in compliance with the Henderson Police Department's use of force guidelines. He said the coroner's inquest would prove this point.
Perkins later confirmed another point of contention in the case that it was Zyber Selimaj, who originally made the call to his wife, and not police as earlier reports indicated. He said that police had spoken with Deshira on the phone, but denied that the conversation had any bearing on the officer's actions once she arrived on the scene.
While the press conference left many discrepancies and unanswered questions, Perkins said that only after the coroner's inquest would there be any real answers to this "tragic event."
As for the Selimaj family's completely different account of that evening, Perkins said: "It's not uncommon for somebody in this situation to have a different story — it's just not accurate."
If they aren't trained to shoot to injure, the officer shouldn't have shot at all. She was no imminent danger to them. If they really felt she was, then these officers need to get replaced with one's that have balls.
Big Surprise! People are contradicting the police. Now that broad is dead and the old Child Beater has to raise his children alone. Someone should teach those kids to duck. The husband has a history of hitting minor children.She should have dropped the knife or the husband should have signed the citation.
Henderson Police Officers are trained, like most other police officers, to shoot to stop the threat. Like the Cheif of Police stated "the shot was center mass". Center mass is basically a lower chest shot. Unlike the TV shows or movies, Police Officers are not trained to shoot knives out of peoples hands or to shoot at an arm thinking she would drop the knife. If they tried and missed it would jeopardise the childrens, the officers, or innocent bystanders safety. That being said, does anyone care about the officer? How about his family? Mr. lvlarry, when was the last time you went to work and put your life on the line for the betterment of society? Thank God for people that have the courage to stand up and fight for those who can't.
This black-and-white rhetoric is so old.Police have a tough job, but they're not infallable, not every cop is a "good-guy", and not every civilian is some scumbag who was just asking for it.
The bottom line is, this case just stinks.Henderson P.D.'s account sounds over-the-top and unrealistic, not to mention that Keith Paul and Chief Perkins have a vested interest in making the department seem flawless, regardless of wrongdoing.However, witness accounts are frequently inaccurate depictions by people who are flooded with adrenaline.
The truth lies somewhere inbetween.
Shoot to Kill or Die Another Day
‘Welcome to L.A.,’ says on a T-shirt in Venice Beach.
‘You’ll be treated like King….Rodney King!’
Remember the beating? The world on fire.
And headlines coat to coast.
Abne Louima. Excessive force.
Police brutality. American fatality.
At Danny’s, Whataburger and Jack ‘n the Box,
cops gone wild is the topic of the day.
Which logo befits police, ’Serve and Protect’ or
’Go Ahead And Make My Day’?’
‘You be the judge.’ It‘s all I have to say.
Madison Square Garden, Bruce Springsteen, ‘Born in the USA’.
“ 41Times! An unarmed African- America! Killed in the USA!
How many bullets it takes to shoot a man?!’ he asked the audience.
A US citizen, ladies and gentlemen?!”
Ms. Diallo, next to Al Sharpton, did not say a word.
She was choking. She could not reply.
In a testimony, her son, Amado, was ‘reaching for the wallet.’
He did not have to die.
‘Don’t tazer me, Bro!’ begged a student at a Florida University.
He was tazered, whisked away and put under lock.
The auditorium wanted to know why as they remained under shock.
An Albanian mother, age 42, died in front of her ice-cream truck.
Husband and three kids watching helpless and awe-struck.
People said, ‘She was tazered. She was calm. She was not a fret.’
Henderson Police said,’ She was armed. She had a knife. She was a threat.’
What do we know? Who do we trust?
Three witnesses on the ground, or a rooky, the upper crust?
Before you answer just ask why.
How many people must die,
Before Police hear them cry?
The answer my friend is blowing in the wind,
The answer is blowing in the wind.
Idriz Ajeti
LVlarry, you need to realize we are trained to shoot to injure not kill. we are trained to shoot to stop a person not kill them. I know the movies show cops are able to shoot a person in the leg.. but in real life, it doesn't work that way. what most cop haters who post here forget is the 23 year old officer has a mother as well, do you really believe he said to himself at the start of the shift, "hey, I think I will shoot a woman today"? Lets be real, this is a tragedy the woman lost her life, but it is also a tragedy for the young man who took it. He acted in the right, as all officers are trained, it will never be admitted by cop haters (GOD) but it was the correct action.
I find it so pathetic, yet at the same time, so sociologically telling when one underpriveleged minority applauds the lynching of a member from another minority.
"Chicano", you are no different than Uncle Tom. Now crawl back into your cabin and practice talking like a WAP a little more with words like "broad".
I strongly believe that most Police Officers are really good people and do their job well but as in any profession there are people who's performance is poor and lack the proper skills to be sucessfull and if these individuals are not weeded out it reflects that profession in a very negative way...this situation is very much that case...no matter how you look at it the officer should of never shot - just visualize this - four to five police officers with at least two of them having their guns out pointing at a woman and even if she had a knife - there is no way and I really mean no way would their life be in danger - it just wasn't justified ...its very sad to read and hear that this happen - the officer who shot the women is simply a weak individual who should of never been issued a license to kill - they have to go back and look how he got the license in the first place.
One trained cop with a nightstick should be able to take down this little woman whether she had a knife or not. PERIOD. No, let's draw our weapons on her and shoot her. Are you kidding me?
chief only states there were "several" officers at the scene. Why? Because it would look really bad and be embarrassing to tell the truth that there were probably 10-20 cops at this scene when this woman was shot and killed. That's right, and 10-20 cops couldn't use any other tactics to take this woman down if she was so dangerous without shooting and killing her. oooh, scary ice-cream lady. pathetic. As a cop you get paid to take risks, that's what you signed up for, and to take people into custody using whatever tactics you can use WITHOUT KILLING THEM! So if you're too afraid and can't do the job the right way, quit!
Be careful in Henderson, you could be the next victim. Think about it.
I also love the way they try to smear this dead woman saying she was holding her children hostage and the courageous officers had to rescue the children. What a joke. The kids were scared and wanted to be with their mother. How stupid do you think we are? The HPD has made quite a movie script out of thier own screw up and I'm not buying it for one second.
Sad thing is the way the inquest is run here, this will wind up justified and they will honor the brave luke morrison (sarcasm) on medal day. Remember to hold your head up high loser.