The mother of 28 year old Oliver Halverson says her son wanted to be shot by a cop
Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer believes Officer Jarvis Duncan was justified in shooting Halverson Wednesday afternoon behind a house near 124th and Burt.
Schmaderer says Halverson’s mother told the 911 operator that her son was going to the Bag N Save near 114th and West Dodge Road to rob the store and force an officer to shoot him.
Officers encountered him at 122nd and Burt Street. Schmaderer says Halverson was armed with a knife and refused officers’ repeated verbal commands to stop and drop the knife. Halverson walked through the neighborhood yards and officers followed on foot and with cruisers.
Schmaderer says Officer Doug Johnson deployed his taser but Halverson didn’t respond and was able to keep hold of the knife. He says as Officer Johnson was reloading his taser to attempt another deployment, Halverson abruptly turned towards Officer Duncan and came at him with the knife held high in a downward stabbing direction.
Duncan gave repeated verbal commands to drop the knife and as Halverson got within approximately six feet, he shot Halverson.
Officer Duncan is a sixteen year veteran of the department and is on paid administrative leave.
