When someone calls 911, they don’t expect harm to come to them at the hands of law enforcement. Police officers are there to serve and protect their communities. Tragically, a Nevada police officer shot and killed a dad who called authorities for help during a home invasion.
Brandon Durham, 43, recently called police in Las Vegas for assistance when someone broke into his home. Officers with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department responded to the call. But when all was said and done, Durham was dead at the hands of one of the people who was supposed to help him.
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Police officers responded to a call about a home invasion in the middle of the night.
At roughly 12:40 a.m. November 12, Durham dialed 911 to report two people shooting into and trying to break into his Las Vegas home, People reported. He told dispatchers home invaders had entered the house through the front and back doors. Additionally, he reportedly said he would lock himself and his 15-year-old daughter in a bathroom.
Police saw two people struggling over a knife inside the home.
Three officers arrived, including Alexander Bookman, 26, who shot and killed Durham. After observing damaged house windows and vehicles, Bookman heard screaming and commotion inside the home, Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren said during a news conference. The officer then kicked open the door.
Tragically, one officer shot and killed the Nevada dad.
Eventually, Bookman found Durham and the suspect, Alejandra Boudreaux, 31, in a bedroom doorway “struggling over a knife,” Koren detailed. Bookman told them to drop the weapon before shooting Durham. The officer then shot Durham several more times while he was motionless on the floor; he fired six rounds in total.
Although lifesaving efforts were attempted, Durham was pronounced dead at the scene.
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Now, the suspect faces multiple charges.
Police took Boudreaux into custody. He faces four charges, per People, including assault with a deadly weapon, domestic violence; home invasion with a deadly weapon; child abuse, neglect, or endangerment; and performance of an act in willful or wanton disregard of the safety of persons resulting in death.
According to Koren, police believe Durham and Boudreaux knew each other and that the home invasion “was not a random act of violence.”
Durham's daughter has spoken out, and an investigation is ongoing.
“The violence that occurred here was under someone who was extremely, extremely angry and extremely violent,” Durham’s daughter, Isabella, 15, told the media on November 14, per KSNV. “And I am disgusted in how the Metropolitan Police told my father, after killing him, to stay down. Knowing, treating him like he was the suspect in the situation, he was the victim, and I’m disgusted that the Metropolitan Police will allow me to live fatherless for the rest of my life.”
A GoFundMe account has been set up to help with funeral costs and counseling for the family.
“The loss of life in any type of incident like this is always tragic,” Koren said. “And it’s something we take very seriously.”
