Officers cleared in shooting

Keith Paul

Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2001 | 10:35 a.m.

Two Metro Police gang detectives acted within department policy when they shot and killed a homicide suspect who was holding a gun to his girlfriend, a police oversight board ruled Monday night.

Metro's use-of-force board voted unanimously that Detective Carlos Acosta and Detective Damian Walburn followed police guidelines when they fired at Jeffrey B. Canterbury, 21, on June 2 in an apartment on Tam Drive, near Sahara Avenue and Industrial Road, Deputy Chief Ray Flynn said.

In July, a Clark County coroner's inquest jury deliberated less than 20 minutes in deciding the pair were justified in the shooting.

Acosta, 31, shot Canterbury once in the head. Walburn, 30, shot him twice in the leg.

Canterbury had been wanted in connection with the May 26 slaying of Jeremy Buckles in Henderson.

Police first searched the wrong apartment earlier on June 2 in the complex. Acosta then went across to another apartment and learned Canterbury was in a bedroom with his 17-year-old girlfriend.

Police entered the room and found Canterbury on the bed with his girlfriend, Nichole Nick. Police maintained Canterbury had a gun stuck into her side as he yelled at police to leave.

Acosta testified at the inquest he fired after he believed Canterbury was going to kill Nick.