Shooting, protests, charges: A timeline of events leading up to DeValkenaere trial
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KCPD officer found guilty in fatal shooting of Black man
Eric DeValkenaere, a Kansas City police detective, was found guilty of manslaughter on Nov. 19, 2021, in the December 2019 killing of Cameron Lamb, a Black man who was fatally shot in his own backyard. DeValkenaere was the first white Kansas City police officer in 80 years to face a criminal trial in the shooting death of a Black man.
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Kansas City Police Department Det. Eric DeValkenaere shot and killed Cameron Lamb, a 26 year-old father of three, on Dec. 3, 2019.
A grand jury in June 2020 indicted DeValkenaere of manslaughter and armed criminal action.
The criminal trial began Nov. 8 and closing arguments were heard Nov. 12.
Here’s a timeline of events leading up to the trial.
December 3, 2019: Eric DeValkenaere shoots and kills Cameron Lamb in Lamb’s backyard
Officers responded to reports of a red pickup truck chasing a purple Mustang. The department said a police helicopter tracked the truck pulling into a residence, and two plainclothes detectives approached the man in the truck.
DeValkenaere said that he fired after Lamb pointed a gun at his partner Troy Schwalm.
Police investigating the shooting found Lamb inside the vehicle with his left arm and head hanging out of the driver’s side window. On the ground near his left hand was a handgun, according to police.
At the time, the KCPD placed DeValkenaere on administrative leave and issued a statement which said, “the officer was put in a position where he had to discharge his firearm.”
December 8, 2019: Lawyer requests police release footage
Lamb’s loved ones began questioning KCPD’s statement of events and civil rights attorney Lee Merritt tweeted at KCPD, telling them to “release all footage of the event.”
Release all available footage to the family. They shouldn’t have to guess. No family welcomes a conversation with the department responsible for murdering their love one. The location where he was shot to death was his home/business where he repairs cars.
— Lee Merritt (@MerrittForTexas) December 9, 2019
December 14, 2019: Cameron Lamb’s friends and family hold vigil
Family and friends gathered outside Lamb’s residence to remember him. They continued to scrutinize the police’s narrative of events, describing Lamb as a helpful man and adoring father.
“I just want the truth,” said Lamb’s mother Laurie Bey.
May 2020: Activists push for KCPD to provide charging documents
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Local activists created a petition demanding KCPD provide a probable cause statement— a document needed for prosecutors to file charges. The police failed to provide the documents for months.
The petition garnered more than 200,000 signatures.
Following the murder of George Floyd, people marched against police brutality in cities across the country.
In Kansas City, protesters spoke out against the uncharged killings of Lamb, along with other local men including Ryan Stokes, Terrance Bridges and Donnie Sanders.
During the protests, Kansas City police officers repeatedly deployed pepper spray and tear gas.
June 18, 2020: Grand jury indicts DeValkenaere
A grand jury indicted DeValkenaere for the killing of Lamb. Prosecutors filed charges including involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action against DeValkenaere, marking the first prosecution in nearly 80 years of a white officer for the shooting of a Black man.
Jean Peters Baker, the Jackson County prosecutor, said her office was “stymied” by the police department, which did not hand over a probable cause statement in the shooting.
The Kansas City Fraternal Order of Police put out a statement in support of DeValkenaere, who pleaded not guilty. Meanwhile, people began calling for police shootings to be conducted by outside investigators.
April 28, 2021: Judge denies motion to dismiss charges
DeValkenaere’s attorney filed a motion to dismiss the charges against him in March 2021, which a judge denied one month later.
June 28, 2021: Lamb family sues Kansas City police
The Lamb family filed a separate, civil suit in federal court on behalf of Lamb’s children. Attorneys for the family allege the Kansas City Police Department has a “well-documented, continuing, widespread and persistent pattern” of using excessive and frequent deadly force.
KCPD has paid at least $9.5 million in legal settlements in excessive force cases since 2014, a Star analysis revealed.
November 8, 2021: Trial begins
The week long trial began Nov. 8. During opening statements, prosecutors alleged that evidence, including the gun found by Lamb, had been planted.
During the trial, prosecutors described DeValkenaere’s conduct during the shooting as “reckless” and said it violated the Fourth Amendment, which prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures. They alleged the detectives, who were in plainclothes, did not ask for permission to walk onto the property and did not have a warrant.
An expert for the defense said the detective had reasonable suspicion, allowing him to come onto Lamb’s property to investigate the chase he had been involved in.
This story was originally published November 19, 2021 at 1:30 PM.
