DeMonJhea Jordan, 21

Louisville, Kentucky
April 24, 2018

Cause of death: Not Yet Known

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Last updated: over 5 years ago

Overview

DeMonJhea Jordan, 21, was the suspect in an armed robbery at a Metro PCS store in Louisville.

He died Tuesday at University of Louisville Hospital shortly after being transported there following an “exchange of gunfire” with police. Around 12:07 p.m. police responded to the report of a robbery at the 2600 block of West Market Street, LMPD Lt. Aaron Crowell said during a Wednesday news conference. A description matching Jordan’s was broadcast over police radio and minutes later, officer Joshua Weyer located Jordan at the 400 block of 29th Street.

When Weyer tried to make contact, Crowell said, Jordan fled South on 29th Street, brandishing a handgun.” Officers Benjamin Dean and Kody DeSpain and Detective Joseph Fox arrived on scene and “exchanged gunfire with Jordan as he fled on 29th Street,” Crowell said.

The LMPD released body camera footage of the three officers who were involved in the shooting; the fourth, a detective, is not required to wear the camera due to the nature of the work, LMPD Police Chief Steve Conrad said during the news conference.

One video shows the first officer to arrive stop his car and get out, heading toward Jordan, who was carrying a gun and what appears to be a red bag or item of clothing. Jordan is seen moving away from the officer and gunshots are heard, with the officer yelling “shots fired!” Conrad said that the cameras have a 30-second buffer before sound begins to record.

Footage from another officer’s bodycam shows gunfire stopping and an officer yelling at Jordan, who has fallen to the ground, to “put your hands up, (expletive!)” footage shows officers now close to Jordan, standing over the bleeding man. He is conscious, but not appearing to move or resist. They turn him over and put handcuffs on before checking his injuries, noting bullets in areas that included his chest and leg, and began medical treatment. A gun was lying on the ground between his legs.

Legal Action

In September 2018, the family of Jordan filed suit over his death. The lawsuit claims three officers and a detective used excessive force against Demonjhea Jordan, 21, who was shot and killed on April 24 after police say he fled from a robbery and pointed a handgun at officers in the Portland neighborhood. One officer fired his gun through the window of his squad car at Jordan.