National police advocacy group to aid KC detective charged in killing of Cameron Lamb
The Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund announced Wednesday that it would support suspended Kansas City Police DetectiveEric DeValkenaere with his defense of manslaughter charges in the killing of Cameron Lamb, according to a news release.
The national police advocacy organization said it would financially support DeValkenaere’s legal defense.
A Jackson County grand jury in June charged DeValkenaere with first-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in the Dec. 3 killing of the 26-year-old.
The Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund is also providing aid to former Atlanta police officer Garrett Rolfe, who faces 11 charges including felony murder in the fatal shooting of Rayshard Brooks in a Wendy’s parking lot in June.
DeValkenaere shot Lamb as he was sitting in his pickup truck in his own backyard in the 4100 block of College Avenue. DeValkenaere has pleaded not guilty to the charges. He remains free on a $30,000 bond. A pre-trial conference has been set for 1 p.m. on Sept. 3.
DeValkenaere has been an officer since September 1999 and was assigned to the investigative bureau, according to the Kansas City Police Department.
When Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced the criminal indictment, she said her office was “stymied” by the police department when it didn’t hand over the probable cause statement in the shooting.
Civil rights groups have criticized the department’s investigation of the case. Lamb’s name has been chanted during local protests this year over police brutality and racism.
Police fatally shot Lamb while investigating a disturbance between two vehicles. A police helicopter tracked one of the vehicles as it pulled behind a home on College Avenue.
According to court records, DeValkenaere and another detective, Troy Schwalm, were in the area and they responded. DeValkenaere positioned himself on the other side of the house as Lamb backed his pickup into the garage.
Prosecutors allege the detectives, who were in plainclothes, did not ask for permission to walk on to the property and did not have a warrant.
Schwalm told investigators that as he stood on the driver’s side of the truck, he could see Lamb and there was no gun in his left hand, according to prosecutors.
DeValkenaere said Lamb’s right hand was on the steering wheel and he saw Lamb slide his left hand down his body, reach into his waistband, pull a gun and point it at Schwalm. DeValkenaere fired, striking Lamb.
Tactical officers entered the garage after the shooting and found Lamb inside the truck with his left arm hanging out of the open driver’s side window. A gun was found on the ground.
Medical records show that Lamb, who is right-handed, did not have full use of his left hand as a result of an injury sustained in 2015, according prosecutors.
Gun violence will be the subject of a new, statewide journalism project The Star is undertaking in Missouri this year in partnership with the national service program Report for America and sponsored in part by Missouri Foundation for Health. As part of this project, The Star will seek the community’s help.
To contribute, visit Report for America online at reportforamerica.org.
