Citizen kills murderer of police officer

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Ski star's cousin kills cop, then gets killed


Story Highlights• Suspect shoots, runs over officer after traffic stop
• Passing motorist stops, kills suspect with officer's gun
• Dead suspect was cousin of Olympic skier Bode Miller
• Officer and suspect had tangled previously during an arrest


FRANCONIA, New Hampshire (AP) -- A cousin of skiing star Bode Miller fatally shot and ran over a police officer, then was killed by a passer-by who grabbed the officer's gun.

Liko Kenney shot Cpl. Bruce McKay four times and ran over him after a traffic stop Friday evening, state Attorney General Kelly Ayotte said. Gregory Floyd, who was driving by with his son, grabbed McKay's gun and shot Kenney when he refused to put his gun down, Ayotte said.

Kenney, 24, was convicted of assaulting McKay and resisting arrest in 2003. Ayotte had no other details of that previous incident between the men, and rejected suggestions the officer should have let someone else handle the traffic stop given his history with the driver.

Officials said McKay pulled Kenney over for speeding on Route 116. Kenney took off, and McKay pursued him for about 1½ miles before pulling in front of Kenney's car and pushing it off the road.

The officer used pepper spray on Kenney and his passenger and then turned around and was shot, Ayotte said Saturday at a news conference in Concord. Soon after, Floyd arrived and confronted Kenney while his son called for help using the officer's radio.

Authorities said Floyd was justified in shooting Kenney.

The McKay, 48, was a 12-year veteran of the Franconia Police Department.

"It really tears at the fabric of the community and the fabric of the state," said Gov. John Lynch, who visited the town of about 900 residents Saturday as people paid their respects and brought flowers to a police station.

Bode Miller's father, Woody Miller, said there was a history of animosity between the officer and his nephew.

"They had a long relationship," said Miller, who operates an international tennis camp in nearby Easton. "There's been physical altercations between them before in the course of being arrested."

Miller said Kenney, who lived next door to him, didn't have a steady job, but often took work cutting firewood and picking fiddlehead ferns, a wild green that grows in the region and is considered a delicacy.

Bode Miller, who once bailed his cousin out of jail, was on his way home to Franconia, his father said. Miller was in Park City, Utah, this week, meeting with officials of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association. At that meeting, the former Olympic medalist told officials he was cutting his ties with the U.S. team.

The shooting happened near this town in the White Mountain National Forest, popular with skiers and tourists who visited the Old Man of the Mountain, a rock formation and the state's symbol that crumbled into pieces four years ago.

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It's always a tragic, sickening thing when a peace officer is killed in the line of duty.

That said, something is missing from this story so far, both in how KenneyandCpl.McKay met up again and how Floyd managed to shoot Kenney.

Here's another reporting:

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=AG%3A+A+private+citizen+killed+police+officer's+murderer&articleId=e283499c-a08e-4f8f-8e3f-d3cd26253755

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http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=AG%3a+A+private+citizen+killed+police+officer%27s+murderer&articleId=e283499c-a08e-4f8f-8e3f-d3cd26253755

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Ya... when I read it.. It seemed to be missing something. The story in my mind just was not complete.

I guess some details are not worth telling.

I just wonder why Kenney was still there when Floyd arrived and obtained the officer's gun.

The notion that "someone else" should have stopped Kenney based on prior contact between Kenney and the officer is absurd!!

I wonder how Kenney got the drop on the officer too and was able to shoot him 4 times. Something tells me that he was not wearing a vest. Many departments make you buy your own and wearing them is often times optional.

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Based on this rather poorly written account, it would seem that the suspect must have had a gun in the car and may have shot the LEO when he walked up to the car.

I too am curious as to why he hung around long enough to be taken down by a passing citizen. I can imaging how the citizen might have gotten the LEOs weapon, but I can't understand why the suspect just stood there while he did so.

It also does not say if there was an actual exchange of fire between the citizen and the suspect. You would think that for the prosecutor to determine that it was a righteous shooting, there would have to have been some threat to the citizen made by the suspect. Pointing the gun, shooting at him ... something.

Perhaps more will come out in a few days.

Regards

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LEO 229 wrote:

Many departments make you buy your own and wearing them is often times optional.

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That is just wrong. Seattle was like that until my dad was killed. He wasn't wearing his vest because it no longer fit and the dept. was not issuing kevlar, he had a lead vest, to the older officers only the new ones. They changed thier policy after my dad was killed and it is now a suspendable offense if an officer is found not wearing a vest on duty.

My personal opinion is that the dept shoud be held somewhat liable for his death if he did not have a vest on and there was no policy enforcing it.

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Hawkflyer wrote:

You would think that for the prosecutor to determine that it was a righteous shooting, there would have to have been some threat to the citizen made by the suspect. Pointing the gun, shooting at him ... something.

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I would imagine that the prosecutor would deem it justifiable even if there was no threat posed to the citizen that killed the shooter based on the facts that he had just shot an officer and was at a severe threat to the well being and safety of the entire scociety. Heck all he would have to do is say "He made a furty movement". That would be enough under the circumstances to justify the shooting.

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joeroket wrote:

Hawkflyer wrote:

You would think that for the prosecutor to determine that it was a righteous shooting, there would have to have been some threat to the citizen made by the suspect. Pointing the gun, shooting at him ... something.

Click to expand...

I would imagine that the prosecutor would deem it justifiable even if there was no threat posed to the citizen that killed the shooter based on the facts that he had just shot an officer and was at a severe threat to the well being and safety of the entire scociety. Heck all he would have to do is say "He made a furty movement". That would be enough under the circumstances to justify the shooting.

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No argument here. It just seems that we really don't know what happened. The reported or the editor of this story really did not do their homework at all. The story just has a lot of gaps.

But if the guy was just standing there, and the citizen just walked up took the LEOs weapon and shot the guy. That would not be a justifiable shooting under most state laws on deadly force. It is obvious that this citizen will be cut some very substantial slack, and rightly so.

Regards

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Hawkflyer wrote:

Based on this rather poorly written account, it would seem that the suspect must have had a gun in the car and may have shot the LEO when he walked up to the car.

I too am curious as to why he hung around long enough to be taken down by a passing citizen. I can imaging how the citizen might have gotten the LEOs weapon, but I can't understand why the suspect just stood there while he did so.

It also does not say if there was an actual exchange of fire between the citizen and the suspect. You would think that for the prosecutor to determine that it was a righteous shooting, there would have to have been some threat to the citizen made by the suspect. Pointing the gun, shooting at him ... something.

Perhaps more will come out in a few days.

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I hope more does come out. Too much missing information. Somebody's hiding something right now. Probably the FPD.

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Just saw this on Instapundit
www.instapundit.com

I WOULD HOPE NOT:
I would say that deadly force was not merely justified, but actively called for. Good for him.

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If those are the facts, the citizen and his son deserve a medal for their actions.

Regards

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I second that! My thoughts are with the officer, his family and Mr. Floyd and his son. We all know that this was not somethingMr.Floydwanted to do or how he probably wanted to spend that day with his teenage son. He did what he had to.

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Here's a better written article with a little more detail. But still some important gaps in the info available.

The lack of information about and from Kenney's passenger is quite glaring. Somebody's hiding something.






Conflicting images emerge of slain police officer, shooter
May 13, 2007

FRANCONIA, N.H. --Condolences poured in Sunday to the families and friends of a veteran police office gunned down by a local man who, in turn, was fatally shot by a passing driver trying to protect the fallen officer.

Police Cpl. Bruce McKay, 48, was shot four times by Liko Kenney, 24, after a traffic stop Friday evening, police and prosecutors said. Kenney then ran over the officer and was shot by witness Gregory Floyd when Kenney refused to drop his gun, according to authorities.

McKay, who had a 10-year-old daughter and 14-year-old stepdaughter, planned to be married in July atop Cannon Mountain ski area in town of about 900 residents.

"This terrible tragedy has impacted families, the Franconia area and the entire state of New Hampshire," Gov. John Lynch said in a statement. "My thoughts and prayers, and those of my wife, Susan, are with the family of Corporal McKay, whose courage, service and commitment to protecting others is an example for us all."

Kenney and McKay knew and disliked each other. Kenney, whose cousin is famous skier Bode Miller, had been convicted of assaulting McKay in 2003, and Kenney's family said the officer had broken Kenney's jaw when he responded to an underage party several years ago.

"They had bad blood going for a long time," said Kenney's uncle, Bill Kenney.

Some area residents felt McKay was too tough on young people in town.

"He was a local law enforcement officer in a small town and he felt he was doing what was right," said Tom Palmer, who owns the Stoney Brook Motel. "He created some hard feelings in town, but we were friends with him and he was always very professional with us."

Police Sgt. Mark Taylor said McKay had been on the force for 12 years. He was the prosecutor for the department, which has three full-time officers and three part-time officers.

The Rev. Gary Hart of the Community Church said that during a harsh storm last month, McKay went out of his way to make sure the town's elderly residents were safe and helped coordinate shelter arrangements. But, Hart told the New Hampshire Sunday News, "some thought he was rigid in coming down on the side of the law."

"It's hard to be a police officer in a small town," Hart added. "He gave his heart and soul to the job before he gave his life to it."

Bill Kenney described McKay as a "rogue cop" who had target his nephew and family for years.

"McKay stomped on him when he was a teenager," he said, referring to the party incident several years ago. Kenney's family said he tried to pursue the matter in court but nothing came of it because there were no other witnesses.

Bill Kenney described his nephew as troubled, but not violent.

"He was definitely part of the family, but we all had a little bit of a tenuous relationship with Liko," he told the Concord Monitor. "I consider him a loose cannon, volatile."

Kenney was born in Easton but spent much of his early years in Hawaii, where his parents own a coffee plantation. His uncle said he had rough upbringing and dropped out of school by 10th grade.

Three weeks ago, Kenney started a new job at the Agway in Littleton. Owner Don Merrill said Kenney was a hard worker.

"He got along beautifully with the customers," Merrill said. "He was learning all the ropes and doing quite well. He had a good future here."

Rob Hayward knew both men well. He had been a friend of McKay's since McKay joined the police department, and Kenney had been a close friend of his son, who was killed in a car accident in 2005. Kenney still kept in touch with Hayward and visited him Friday morning.

Hayward said McKay treated him with respect but said young people in town complained about problems with the officer. Kenney was "very, very afraid of Officer McKay," he said.

"He was a good boy and I can't understand what brought it to this," he told the Monitor. "Officer McKay was a good officer. Those two had their problems, but I don't understand how it got so escalated."

http://www.boston.com/news/local/new_hampshire/articles/2007/05/13/conflicting_images_emerge_of_slain_police_officer_shooter/

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HankT wrote:

...SNIP
The lack of information about and from Kenney's passenger is quite glaring. Somebody's hiding something.
SNIP...

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I agree, but I suspect he is in custody, and more than likely has been advised to keep quiet. I am only guessing but I would think he will be in a world of hurt when the attention of the authorities returns to his role in all this.

Regards

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I'm surprised they didn't charge him with interfering with a police operation since they had to rule the shooting justified. I know out west there would be no such talk about "deciding not to charge him".Floyd would have a medal from the Sheriff and a parade in his honor.

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vermonter wrote:

...SNIP
I know out west there would be no such talk about "deciding not to charge him". 
SNIP...

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You are in for a bit of a surprise I fear. The west is not as open minded as you might think. In Texas there is NO OC. If you even profile a weapon through your cover garment you are in violation of the OC ban. They have outlawed the BOWIE KNIFE of all things. IN TEXAS, the very place where it became famous.

In New Mexico you cannot carry at all in a place that sells alcohol. In practical terms that is a lot of places because almost every place sells liquor there. A lot of states in the west require retreat before using deadly force.

So there is no surprise that someone might want to look at this incident for appropriate use of force. It seems that it was appropriate. But it might not have been if the guy was not holding a gun, had not refused to disarm and wasn't trying to reload when he was shot.

Regards

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Hawkflyer wrote:

HankT wrote:

...SNIP
The lack of information about and from Kenney's passenger is quite glaring. Somebody's hiding something.
SNIP...

Click to expand...

I agree, but I suspect he is in custody, and more than likely has been advised to keep quiet. I am only guessing but I would think he will be in a world of hurt when the attention of the authorities returns to his role in all this.

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They've had the guy in custody for almost 48 hours. The fact that the pressis saying nothing about the passenger probably means that FPD is saying nothing about him. Since the passenger had a bird's eye view of the whole sequence of events it is impossible to properly report or evaluate this case yet.

Hawk, if FPD felt that the passenger had any direct complicity in the murder of a police officer, they would have charged his ass pronto. They've done everything else PDQ.

Another part that is interesting me a great deal is the first stop. I wonder what's on that tape?

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HankT wrote:

...SNIP
Another part that is interesting me a great deal is the first stop. I wonder what's on that tape?

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Well in my experience, everything you can see looking out the windshield, and all the audio from the radio, and possibly (depending on the installation) every thing that was said between the LEO and the suspect.

If normal precedent holds in this case (and it may not) the passenger will likely be charged as an accomplice. Just as someone in a car that does a drive-by but never actually pulled the trigger. They are going to be asking this guy why he did not takes steps to stop the guy himself. In particular why he sat there while the car was driven over the LEO.

But the reports indicate that the passenger was also maced. You have to ask what prompted that if it is true.

Regards

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Hawkflyer wrote:

HankT wrote:

...SNIP
Another part that is interesting me a great deal is the first stop. I wonder what's on that tape?

Click to expand...

Well in my experience, everything you can see looking out the windshield, and all the audio from the radio, and possibly (depending on the installation) every thing that was said between the LEO and the suspect.

Click to expand...

Yah, I'm wondering what was actually said. One report I read said the cop killer demanded/requested another cop to do the ticket/stop. That doesn't sound like a cold-blooded killer. Presumably, the request/demand was due to the personal history between Kenney and the officer. It's probably crucial to understanding of the case what Kenney and McKay actually said at the first stop.


Hawkflyer wrote:

If normal precedent holds in this case (and it may not) the passenger will likely be charged as an accomplice. Just as someone in a car that does a drive-by but never actually pulled the trigger. They are going to be asking this guy why he did not takes steps to stop the guy himself. In particular why he sat there while the car was driven over the LEO.

But the reports indicate that the passenger was also maced. You have to ask what prompted that if it is true.

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I'm sure it is likely/safer to charge the accomplice. But that it hasn't been done yet on a hot case says something, I think.

Too much missing to determine that it was just a simple case of an unprovoked murder of an LEO.

If it was that, of course, then Kenney got his just due.

Lots of unanswered stuff. Interesting case.

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joeroket wrote:

LEO 229 wrote:

Many departments make you buy your own and wearing them is often times optional.

Click to expand...

That is just wrong. Seattle was like that until my dad was killed. He wasn't wearing his vest because it no longer fit and the dept. was not issuing kevlar, he had a lead vest, to the older officers only the new ones. They changed thier policy after my dad was killed and it is now a suspendable offense if an officer is found not wearing a vest on duty.

My personal opinion is that the dept shoud be held somewhat liable for his death if he did not have a vest on and there was no policy enforcing it.

Click to expand...

Some departments cannot even afford to buy VA state code books each year for their officers. The books are about $40 each and they have to get hand-me-downs from other departments.

Keeping in mind... the books are not current and the laws have changed or been added. How can the LEO know the law when he is not given a current book. He will need to buy his own and that typically does not happen. They either share.... or use the first and only book they are issued.

I feel that ALL LEOs should be issued a vest as a standard piece of their equipment.

You cannot really enforce or require the vest to be worn. There are situations when it is not practical or essential. Example... a long funeral in the hot summer sun. I have done that and those that had on a vest just about died.

Many supervisors stop wearing their vest too since they are behind the scenes and do not respond to danger. They coordinate the scene via radio and the first responder officers go.