Panel to determine if Henderson police justified in shooting

By Erin Dostal

Friday, July 23, 2010 | 2:05 a.m.

A Clark County coroner’s inquest jury will decide today if Henderson police were justified in the fatal shooting of a woman in June.

The inquest will begin at 9 a.m. in a courtroom at the Regional Justice Center. Judge Stephen George will preside over the proceedings.

Before ruling, the jury will listen to testimony from officials and witnesses.

The coroner said in June that Kelly DuPriest, 39, died of multiple gunshot wounds after a June 7 incident with police in the upscale MacDonald Highlands neighborhood.

Police shot at DuPriest and her male passenger when she sped toward officers in a car, authorities said. Police said the car had been stolen at gunpoint.

At about 8:10 a.m., officers caught up with the stolen vehicle when it became stuck on a gravel road at the end of MacDonald Ranch Drive, police said. Henderson Police spokesman Keith Paul said the pair did not respond to orders to get out of the car.

After negotiating with the man and woman for about 45 minutes, Paul said, DuPriest put the car in reverse and sped toward the officers. Then officers began shooting, he said.

The police officers involved in the shooting were Sgt. Christopher Delacanal, hired in 1996; Officer James Dunn, hired in 2003; Officer Kevin Grant, hired in 2006; Officer Michael Schmitz, hired in 2004; Officer Jeff Wiener, hired in 2002; and Officer Juan Castro, hired in 2007.

Police said the man in the vehicle suffered non-life threatening injuries.

Police accused the suspects of committing a series of crimes in the MacDonald Highlands community, including carjacking and breaking into a home.