17-year-old victim of fatal police shooting in Louisville identified by coroner's office | Crime reports

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — The Jefferson County Coroner's Office has identified the 17-year-old man who was shot and killed May 14 by a Louisville Metro Police officer.

LMPD released body camera video last week of the incident showing a 17-year-old homicide suspect shot and killed after he said he shot a police K-9 while he was tackled to the ground by several officers. The coroner's office identified him Wednesday as Brandon Marroquin. He died eight days later at UofL Hospital from a single gunshot wound, LMPD said.

Detectives from the department's Criminal Interdiction Unit were conducting surveillance in the area of ​​South 3rd Street and West Kenton Street in the Wilder Park neighborhood – near Churchill Downs – around 3 p.m. on Tuesday, May 14, as part of a recent homicide investigation.

Detectives were waiting outside a neighborhood convenience store. When he came out, they rushed after him. LMPD Deputy Chief Colonel Steven Healey said the suspect pulled out a gun and started running. He only took a few steps on the sidewalk before several officers placed the suspect on the ground, lying on his side. But while at least three officers held him pinned to the ground, the suspect's arm was pinned beneath him and he was still holding the gun, Healey said.

After repeatedly begging him to drop the gun, a noise was heard, which Healey said was the suspect shooting behind him toward a police K-9 and its handler. Detective Benjamin Derby, on duty since February 2022, immediately fired at point blank range, hitting the suspect in the back of the head.

Everything happened so quickly that even one of the police officers who was restraining the suspect did not know who had fired the shot.

“He killed himself,” an officer said in the body camera video.

“No, he didn’t,” another officer said.

“No, Jared, I shot him,” Derby replies.

“That’s the goal that was presented to this officer to end the threat,” Healey said. “It was probably the safest way to do it. (…) He is wanted for homicide. He has a gun. He refuses to drop it. He even fires a shot after repeated orders. It was the most effective way – and probably the safest way to end this situation.”

Healey said the gun the suspect was holding was determined through testing to have been used in the homicide of David Martinez, 18, near the railroad tracks near Allmond and Louisville avenues, in the Highland Park neighborhood.

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