LAWRENCE, Ind. — The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department has released edited bodycam footage from an officer-involved shooting that left one man dead while serving a warrant at a Lawrence motel in August.
According to a graphic that appears at the beginning of the video, officers responded to the 9000 block of Pendleton Pike around 10:35 a.m. on Aug. 23 to serve a warrant at Park Terrace Motel in Lawrence.
According to previous reports, narcotic detectives with IMPD and SWAT were serving a warrant at the motel for 40-year-old Kentrail Small, who authorities believed was armed and dangerous.
The bodycam footage shows police arriving at the motel and announcing their presence with the use of sirens and a public address system. IMPD said responding officers received no response from the suspect as officers forced entry into the motel room.
-
IMPD officers order Small to get on the ground after breaching motel room. (bodycam still image) -
Officers breach the Park Terrace Motel (Bodycam footage stills provided by IMPD) -
Officers breach the Park Terrace Motel (Bodycam footage stills provided by IMPD) -
IMPD officers order Small to get on the ground after breaching motel room. (bodycam still image) -
Small reaches for a gun during a struggle with police inside the motel room (bodycam still image) -
IMPD said this is the gun Kentrail Small reached for inside the Park Terrace Motel room. -
IMPD said these guns were found inside the Park Terrace Motel room.
The bodycam footage shows officers issuing multiple verbal commands to “get on the ground” as Small and a woman emerged from the bathroom.
As officers approached Small to place him in handcuffs, officers could be heard saying, “gun, gun, gun” from the kitchenette area inside the room.
The footage appeared to show officers struggling to detain Small before he reportedly broke free and attempted to grab a firearm.
The struggle between the suspects and officers ensued before two SWAT officers opened fire and struck Small. The suspect was transported to Eskenazi Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
After the fatal shooting, police detained a woman who was also in the motel room. IMPD said the woman followed police instructions and did not sustain any injuries during thew deadly encounter.
No officers or uninvolved citizens were injured during this incident.
IMPD said police seized multiple narcotics after serving the warrant, including fentanyl, cocaine, marijuana and prescription pills.
The images featured in the edited footage were gathered from an officer’s body-worn camera that was activated during the shooting.
The officers who discharged their firearms were placed on administrative leave, as is standard procedure in an officer-involved shooting investigation.
The IMPD Critical Incident Response team is handling the criminal investigation of the incident, while the IMPD Internal Affairs is conducting a separate administrative investigation. The civilian majority Use of Force Review Board will hold a mandatory hearing when the criminal process is finalized.
