“He’s not a cop shooter like they’re already putting on Facebook. He’s a good guy.” -Austin Harless, eyewitness
BY PHILL BARNETT
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
DAVELLA — Thirty-six-year-old James Lee Howard was shot and killed by police Monday night at his residence on Sandlick Road in Davella.
Police were responding to a report of a man shooting a shotgun in the air and talking to himself.
“A few minutes after 11 p.m. Monday, dispatch received a call that shots were being fired at the last residence on Sandlick,” Martin County Sheriff John Kirk told the Mountain Citizen.
“Two troopers responded. And when they responded, I believe shots were fired upon them.”
Kirk says he was notified of an active shooter incident by local dispatch, at which point he began calling deputies to report to the scene.
Virtually all surrounding police forces responded to the incident. Those included Pikeville, Paintsville and Prestonsburg Police departments, Fish and Wildlife, Johnson County Sheriff’s Office and Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
Route 3 and roads surrounding Sandlick were shut down during the incident.
Kirk and his deputies arrived along with the rest of the backup, and the shooting continued.
“After about an hour or so, officers returned fire,” said Kirk. “It ultimately struck the perpetrator and he succumbed to his injuries.”
When asked which direction Howard was shooting, Kirk said he could not comment as the state police interviewed witnesses.
“It’s sad any time someone loses their life, but as a police officer, when you’re being fired upon, you have no choice but to protect yourself and/or others,” said Kirk. “It’s never something we take lightly.”
Kirk attributed the massive police response to increased tensions due to the recent police deaths in Allen.
“We believe alcohol played a key factor in what took place,” said Kirk.
Sandlick Road resident Austin Harless, an eyewitness to the tragic night, detailed the moments leading up to Howard’s death.
Harless told the Mountain Citizen that he and Howard had been drinking at Howard’s house at “the head of the holler.” They each had about four drinks.
“We were getting along good,” Harless said.
At some point while the pair were hanging out, things took an unexpected sour turn and Harless told Howard he wanted to leave, but Howard disapproved.
When Howard went to the bathroom, Harless escaped outside and hid over an embankment.
“I couldn’t even get to my vehicle,” said Harless.
This was the point at which Howard came outside and began firing into the air.
When police arrived, they tried communicating with Howard through their intercom, asking him to come out with his hands up, according to Harless. Howard refused, demanding to know who he was talking to.
“And I guess something flipped,” said Harless. “He started firing shots out the door.”
After backup arrived, Harless managed to make his presence known to the officers and crawl to the police caravan as it was forming.
Harless says he begged the officers to let him speak to his panicking friend using the loudspeaker they used to communicate with Howard.
According to Harless, multiple officers had snuck around to the backside of Howard’s home at this point and startled Howard.
“Jim fired a shot out the door — he fired 5 or 6 and,” Harless paused for a long time. “I don’t even know how many shots they fired. And it killed him.”
While Harless could not state the exact time that Howard was killed, he was sure it happened well before 1 a.m.
Martin County Coroner Chris Todd said he arrived at the scene around 1:30 a.m.
“I’ve got law enforcement background, and it could’ve been handled a lot differently,” said Harless.
“When the state troopers come down off that hill, they was laughing,” added Harless. “I said, ‘Why are you laughing? I know you just killed him.’ And they were like, ‘Yep. We did.’”
“I don’t know if they were tore up about the Allen situation or what, but it could have ended a lot differently from what it did.”
Harless said Howard was a close friend and had been “going through a lot here lately.”
“I understand that,” he said. “He’s not a cop shooter like they’re already putting on Facebook. He’s a good guy.”
