NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. (LEX 18) — Kentucky State Police released the name of the Nicholasville police officer involved in the October 22 shooting of Desman LaDuke. His family had called police to do a mental health check on him.
In a statement released Monday, Kentucky State Police said after several hours of attempted negotiations with LaDuke he brandished two firearms while inside his bedroom window. Officer Joseph Horton "recognized the immediate danger and fired his agency-issued firearm, striking Mr. LaDuke once."
Horton is an eight year veteran of the Nicholasville Police Department who works in patrol. He is currently on administrative leave.
LaDuke's family has criticized the department's response saying that Desman needed help, he did not harm anyone.
Kahnan Leslie, a relative, said, "In this whole situation all that keeps going through my mind is, what lead them to think the way that they did, that lead to the actions that they upheld? The only question in their mind from my point of view is stop trying to kill yourself or we're going to kill you."
