By Ricardo Torres-Cortez
Las Vegas Sun
KINGMAN, Ariz. — A body-worn camera captured a fatal Thursday shootout between Kingman, Ariz., police officers and a suspect at a house they were serving a search warrant in a stolen-gun investigation.
Before being fatally wounded, Jeffrey Clair Cave, 53, shot two officers, seriously wounding one, according to Bullhead City police, who are investigating. A bullet went through the second officer’s clothing, but did not pierce him.
The video released today shows at least six officers in tactical gear approach a home in the 1700 block of Miami Avenue, in the town about 100 miles southeast of Las Vegas. One pounds on the front door, yelling “police, search warrant, open the door!”
When no one complies, the officer opens the apparently unlocked door while Cave, who is barefoot and wearing shorts and a gray Pittsburgh Steelers T-shirt, stands a few feet away, holding a gun on his right hand.
Cave slowly makes his way toward the officers who, for about 20 seconds, repeatedly order him to drop the gun.
Officers are heard discussing using a Taser, and one appears, pointing at Cave, who raises his gun and shoots, police said. Almost immediately, a volley of fire is heard as the officers return fire, killing Cave.
The wounded officer, detective Dennis Gilbert, 57, remained hospitalized Friday in serious stable condition, police said. He’s said to be “doing well.”
He and detective Nicholas Schmitz, 27, who shot their weapons, are on customary paid administrative leave while the investigation continues, police said.
The officer who was shot but not wounded was identified as Lt. James Brice, 58, police said. Gilbert has been with Kingman police for 17 years; Schmitz for 3 and a half years, and Brice for 25 years, police said.
The gun Cave fired was not the stolen gun police were searching for, police said. He was the suspect in the investigation.
It wasn’t immediately clear if the stolen gun was found.
No one else was home at the time of the shooting, police said.