MPD: Name The Officers Now
Last Thursday, David Kerstetter was shot and killed by a Metropolitan Police Department officer. Kerstetter lived just south of Logan Circle in a condo. Two officers responded to his address after receiving a call that his door was open or that he was suicidal (the stories are conflicting). We wrote about the incident here and here.
Kerstetter was well known to police and neighbors as deeply troubled. He was under 6 feet tall, according to neighbors, and was all skin and bones (he looked like he had stopped eating).
When police arrived, he allegedly had a knife. He and the officers allegedly got into a scuffle. One of the officers shot and killed Kerstetter. Both officers are being investigated for their use-of-force.
One resident saw Kerstetter being taken out on a stretcher. "They had a breathing mask over him and a blanket thrown over the main part of his torso," the resident says. "People got the idea that they didn't want us to know that he was already dead."
Whatever really transpired inside Kerstetter's condo is still a mystery. All we really know is the victim's name. As usual, the MPD refuses to reveal the officers' names.
I called Traci Hughes, the department's spokesperson, and asked for them anyway this afternoon.
“I don’t have the names," Hughes said.
Let's pause for a moment on that answer. OK.
Hughes went on to ask this reporter: "Why would you be interested in the names of the officers who responded?”
Hmm. Because one of the officers shot and killed a District resident. Whether the shooting was justified or not, readers have a right to know who both these officers are. We have a right to know whether they have any citizen complaints, whether they've been the subject of a lawsuit, and how long they have worked in the Third District. And, finally, did they know David Kerstetter?
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9:06 pm
They should have tazered the guy and called it a morning. Does MPD issue those or other disabling devices?
9:30 pm
I know the officers carry with them non-lethal type weapons (or potentially non-lethal type weapons) like a metal baton and I believe mace/pepper spray.
1:29 am
What district did this happen in, and could Lt. Smith be the shooter?
2:19 am
Lt. Smith retired. Do you really think this is something worth joking about?
2:24 am
No not joking AT ALL. I just want to know who did it and he came to mind. PSA 307, right? Logan Circle is in PSA 307? The whole situation is horrible and obviously this man was very, very ill. I believe the officer who shot this man should be punished for his itchy trigger finger.
2:35 am
Lt. smith is the kind of guy that would work right up until his retirement, which wasn't until Saturday. Plus he such a crazy fuckhead, always in the middle of controversy...whoever shot this man didn't know how to properly treat (or disarm) a mentally ill person. My guess is Lt. Smith.
10:24 pm
knives kill people, so self defense justifys the use of lethal force.
10:37 pm
you are correct. Knives do kill. But we do not know exactly what happened in Mr. Kerstetter's home. I do think it is the public's right to know the names of the officers, if they had a history in dealing with Mr. Kerstetter, and, of course, what events led to the officer's use of force.
9:36 am
Here is a link to an interview with David and his life partner Paul from 2003 in Metro Weekly.
http://www.metroweekly.com/home/?ak=706
Paul died last year, and David's mother had been trying to get her son help as he was no longer anwsering his phone. The Police had no warrent so in my mind, this was an illegal entry and David was murdered in cold blood in his own home by the police. Lesson learned? Never call MPD to try to get help for a menatlly ill individual.
3:32 am
You people as well as this paper is so anit-MPD, it is almost disturbing. Police are called to situations that have gotten out of hand. They are situations in which people themselves have caused. If you people know so much about situations, especially ones regarding mentally ill people, then why call police? Handle it yourself! You all seem to know every damn thing, but would rather die first than put on a badge.
10:42 am
First, until the matter is looked in to by Internal Affairs and the US Attorney's office, the public should be limited in the information is knows about the officers involved. This forum is prime example of citizens that know very little about the "law" and police procedures, judging the officers and the actions based on what they see on TV or simply on their gut feelings. Officers often have to respond to very dangerous and life threantening situations with split second response! Officers handle mentally ill people every day, sometimes several in one day! They can properly handle thousands of cases without one person acknowledging or appreciating it, and then they have to justifiably use deadly force one time, and they do not know what they are doing?? That is just plain stupid! For the most part, with certain exceptions, the cops do a pretty damn good job! I agree that LT Smith was a nut however, and it was funny to hear that command staff drew straws on who was going to have to speak at his retirement party and D. Grooms lost! LOL... You go Blondie!
10:44 am
We named the officers here:
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/display.php?id=36512
2:45 am
Nice post. Thanks for sharing these tips.