Landon Eastp was shot 12 times by law enforcement police on Interstate 65 in Nashville earlier this year, according to a newly announced autopsy.
According to the Tennessee Department of Investigation, state soldiers checked 37-year-old Eastep sitting on a guardrail along I-65, and nine police officers from three agencies shot him dead.
The shooting drew extensive scrutiny and caused protests City leaders and supporters are fueling debates about de-escalation tactics and how police deal with mental health crises. A lawyer representing Eastep’s wife called his death an “execution.”
There was no Nashville mobile crisis response team on-site designed to help people in a mental health crisis.
A TBI investigation into the shootings is still active and ongoing, a spokesman said Tuesday.
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Autopsy findings
According to autopsy, Eastep hit 12 bullets, two of which were scratches from the shoulder to the left foot.
Four of the bullets that hit him moved back and forth, and five entered from Estep’s back. When he was first shot, Estep fell to the ground, turned his back on some officers and landed on his side. Body camera image revealed..
The bullet reportedly broke many bones and two vertebrae. There was a gunshot wound on his chest that hit both his lungs, heart, and aorta.
Eastep also suffered a mild blunt trauma to his body. Coroners noticed several bruises, cuts, and abrasions.
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Development of shooting
According to the TBI, Eastep had a utility knife while the policeman was negotiating with him for about 30 minutes. The interstate highway was closed in both directions.
Some body camera footage released by the Metro Nashville Police Department featured several police officers from three agencies surrounding Eastep with weapons. I saw the helicopter also turning overhead.
Eastep appeared to be putting his hand in his right pocket while holding a utility knife on his left. Police officers began shooting when Estep pulled an unidentified “metal cylindrical object” out of his pocket and “adjusted his posture,” TBI said.
According to Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron, the object was not a firearm. Eastep was sentenced to death at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
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Watch body camera footage released by Nashville police
WARNING: This video may be offensive to some viewers. Viewer discretion is recommended, especially for children and sensitive viewers.
Who were the officers?
Authorities identified nine law enforcement officers who fired weapons as follows:
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Sgt. Stephen Carrick (MNPD)
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Officer James Kid (MNPD)
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Officer Brian Murphy (MNPD)
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Officer Justin Pinkelton (MNPD)
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Officer Edin Plansick (MNPD)
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Officer Sean Williams (MNPD)
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Sgt. Charles Atinger (THP)
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Trooper Reggie Edge (THP)
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Cpl. Fabjan Llukaj (off duty, Juliet Mountain Police Station)
Nashville police said Murphy fired the last two bullets on the scene.
Within hours of the incident, Murphy was abolished and deprived of police authorities, Waiting for an investigation of his behavior. As a result of the shooting, five other MNPD officers took up regular managerial positions, the agency said in February.
Kid, Pinkelton, Plansic and Williams have resumed patrol missions after their managerial positions ended on February 4, MNPD spokesman Brookleys said Tuesday. Murphy returned on April 12th. Carrick accepted the federal position before the shooting and resigned in February to take it, Reese said.
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As of February, THP said Edge and Achinger were on paid and regular leave. In February, Lieutenant Tyler Chandler of the Juliet Police Department said Lucaji was also taking regular administrative and wellness leave.
It wasn’t immediately clear on Tuesday whether Edge, Achinger, or Llukaj was still on vacation. Both THP and Juliet Mountain Police Spokespersons did not immediately return an email requesting officer status.
According to Reese, an internal review of the MNPD shootings is still open until the results of the TBI investigation are available. An independent investigation was also led by the Nashville Community Oversight Committee.
Find reporter Rachel Wegner on [email protected] or Twitter @rachelannwegner..
This article was originally published in Nashville, Tennessee. Autopsy show where a Nashville man was shot 12 times by police on I-65