At least four shots fired from behind
CITIZEN STAFF REPORT
FRANKFORT — An autopsy report from the Kentucky State Medical Examiner’s Office reveals the late Davella resident Jimmy Lee Howard was shot six times by police.
Police responded to a call July 4 on Sandlick Road of a man shooting in the air and talking to himself. This man was 36-year-old Howard, intoxicated and trying to intimidate his friend Austin Harless to keep him from leaving Howard’s residence.
According to police reports, when officers arrived, Howard fired his shotgun in their direction, at which point the officers called for backup.
Virtually all police forces in surrounding counties responded. Those included the Kentucky State Police Post 9, Pikeville, Paintsville and Prestonsburg city police departments, Fish and Wildlife, Johnson County Sheriff’s Office and Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
Martin County Sheriff John Kirk attributed the massive police response to increased tensions due to the recent police deaths in Floyd County. The incident on Sandlick Road occurred just days after three officers and a K-9 unit were killed by Lance Storz in nearby Allen.
Harless told the Mountain Citizen that during the hours-long standoff, he begged officers to allow him to speak to his friend, but police ignored him.
Officers went around to the backside of the property to gain a strategic advantage and ultimately shot and killed Howard.
According to the official autopsy report, Howard died of “gunshot wounds of the head, torso and extremities” at 2:46 a.m. July 5.
More specifically, the autopsy reports six gunshot wounds resulting in homicide.
Howard was shot once in the back of the head, once in the back of the shoulder, twice in the back, once in the arm with unspecified direction, and once in the side of the neck.
The autopsy report contained no specifics on how many or what types of firearms were involved in the shooting.
All reported projectile paths traveled upwards upon entry, suggesting a low firing position, except for the shot to Howard’s head, which traveled downwards.
No soot or stippling was identified for any of the entry wounds, suggesting a firing range of more than 30 inches for each shot.
Post-mortem toxicology screens found alcohol and THC in Howard’s blood.