Las Vegas Sun

March 19, 2024

Slain LV ex-cop may have sold drugs

An internal affairs investigation earlier this year of a former Metro cop killed Monday by police after he kidnapped his doctor showed the officer might have been selling prescription drugs as well as abusing them, Sheriff Bill Young said.

The quantities of OxyContin, Lortab and Soma that David Freeman had been receiving from Dr. Sheldon Mike "was far and above" the amount he would have needed for personal use, Young said.

Freeman, 32, who joined Metro in 1995 and quit in May when he learned he was about to be fired, was fatally shot by his former colleagues after he pointed a gun at Mike while the pair sat in a car near a drive-through window at the Walgreens pharmacy at Eastern and Serene avenues.

Capt. Tom Lozich, head of Metro's robbery-homicide division, said officers had been searching for Freeman in connection with an incident Aug. 2 in which Freeman allegedly showed up at Mike's home, threatened him with a gun and forced him to call in a prescription.

"We were actively attempting to locate (Freeman), but he was always one step ahead of us," Lozich said. "We sent out an alert to hotel security chiefs with his picture and description and we began a steady watch of the doctor's home, believing Freeman may come back."

"If he was found, we would have arrested him," Lozich said.

Freeman's actions escalated Monday, police said. He allegedly kidnapped Mike -- a former bowling buddy he had known for four years -- that afternoon from the parking lot of Mike's Henderson medical practice and again forced him to call a Walgreens.

Knowing Freeman had used a Walgreens before, Metro robbery detectives went to the store and "literally all parties arrived at the same time," Deputy Chief Richard McKee said.

Officers ordered Freeman out of his rented Chrysler Sebring convertible. Instead, he pointed a gun at Mike, police said. McKee said two officers fired two shots each at Freeman, and Freeman fired one shot at them.

The officers who shot Freeman were put on administrative leave pending an investigation. Their names were expected to be released late today.

A bullet went through Mike's shoulder. He also suffered a graze wound on his throat. It was not clear if Freeman shot Mike or if he was injured during the shootout at Walgreens, McKee said. A pool of blood was found in the parking lot of Mike's medical office.

Mike was listed in good condition this morning at University Medical Center. He is expected to be released within the next few days, hospital spokeswoman Cheryl Persinger said.

Metro authorities learned in August 2002 that Freeman had been prescribed "large quantities" of narcotic painkillers from Mike, an internist with offices in Henderson. It's not clear how much medication Freeman received.

Keith Macdonald, director of the Nevada Board of Pharmacy, said a pharmacist in Henderson contacted his agency "and said a police officer and doctor kept coming into the pharmacy to get drugs." Specifically, they were obtaining hydrocodone, a prescription narcotic.

Macdonald said he realized there might be a public safety issue with a police officer possibly abusing prescription medication, but the pharmacy board doesn't alert employers that their employees may be abusing drugs.

A member of the Controlled Substance Abuse Prevention Task Force, which is a state agency comprising representatives from the pharmacy board, Nevada Division of Investigation and Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, arranged for Metro officials to initiate contact with Macdonald, who passed along the information on Freeman.

According to Metro policy, an officer has to notify a supervisor if he or she is taking medications that would impair judgment. Freeman failed to do that, Young said.

Metro officials tried to get Freeman help for his alleged addiction, "but he didn't want help," Young said. It wasn't considered a crime for Freeman to be using the drugs because "he was legally getting these prescriptions," he said.

The state medical board monitors patients who obtain narcotic prescriptions to prevent "doctor hopping," which is when patients get medication from multiple doctors. It didn't appear Freeman was doing that.

According to the Aug. 4 police report obtained by the Sun, Mike began treating Freeman two years ago for "a physical problem."

During that time, the report says, Freeman became addicted to OxyContin, Lortab and Soma, narcotic painkillers.

Freeman left Las Vegas and went to live with his parents in Canada, the report says.

Freeman returned to Las Vegas two weeks ago and asked Mike to prescribe him more painkillers, the report says.

Mike wrote out a prescription and told him that would be the last time.

About 11:30 a.m. on Aug. 2, Freeman showed up at Mike's house and asked for more prescriptions.

"The victim told him that he couldn't help him anymore and that he needed to get some help," the report says.

Freeman reached into a backpack, pulled out a handgun and said, "You need to call me in a prescription," according to the report. Mike called Walgreens and ordered a prescription.

As soon as Freeman left, Mike called the pharmacy back and canceled the prescription. Mike filed a report with Metro on Aug. 4 and was in the process of getting a restraining order against Freeman. Metro officers began looking for Freeman, but weren't successful.

Freeman was placed on medical leave in March, and Young planned to fire him at the end of May. However, Freeman was permitted to resign in lieu of termination, Young said.

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