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CORRECTION -- 04/12/08 -- A story in Thursday’s Review-Journal on witness accounts of the Henderson police shooting of ice cream truck driver Deshira Selimaj gave an incorrect age for one of the two sons present when she was killed. Selimaj’s 5-year-old and 11-year-old sons were present during the Feb. 12 shooting.

HENDERSON FATAL SHOOTING: Witnesses rebut police

Trio say woman had no knife, posed no threat to officers



Courtesy Photo

Unjustified. Pathetic. Mistake.

Those are words used by some witnesses to describe the controversial Feb. 12 shooting by a Henderson police officer that left 42-year-old ice cream truck driver Deshira Selimaj dead.

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  • Three witnesses who spoke with the Review-Journal dispute police accounts of the shooting. They are among the more than 25 witnesses subpoenaed to testify in the coroner's inquest that begins today and is expected to continue Friday.

    The inquest will determine whether 23-year-old Henderson police officer Luke Morrison was justified when he shot the Albanian immigrant in front of two of her children and her 65-year-old husband, Zyber Selimaj, during a daytime traffic stop near Coronado High School.

    Deshira Selimaj had come to the aid of her husband, also an ice cream truck driver, after he was pulled over by police for speeding and running a stop sign. She arrived with two of their sons, ages 7 and 11.

    Police said the husband and wife were combative and made suicidal statements. They also say that Deshira Selimaj held a knife to her son's throat and later -- after police secured the boy -- made an aggressive move toward an officer with the weapon.

    Police say they first attempted to subdue Deshira Selimaj with a Taser and then shot her. Police have said she was standing when she was shot.

    During a news conference nine days after the shooting, Henderson Police Chief Richard Perkins said Morrison saved the life of a fellow officer when he shot Deshira Selimaj, preventing an attack on Morrison's partner. Perkins called Morrison a hero.

    The three witnesses, however, said police could have subdued the diminutive Deshira Selimaj without shooting her.

    The witnesses claim that Deshira Selimaj didn't have a knife and never lunged toward an officer when Morrison pulled the fatal trigger. The witnesses said Deshira Selimaj was attempting to stand up, after being hit by the Taser, when she was shot once in the torso.

    "I have to honestly say the shooting was not justified," said Astrid Bean, who was in her car about 30 yards from Deshira Selimaj at the time of the shooting.

    Bean first arrived at the intersection of Sunridge Heights and Pecos Ridge parkways that day at about 3:05 p.m., approximately six minutes before Deshira Selimaj was shot by police.

    When she first saw Deshira Selimaj, Bean said, Selimaj was sitting on the ground south of the intersection, unrestrained. As police approached Selimaj, she got up and ran toward her ice cream truck, which was parked nearby, Bean said.

    Selimaj was, according to Bean, a safe distance from four police officers who were behind the ice cream truck in a semi-circle with their guns drawn on her.

    As she ran, Selimaj was hit by a Taser and fell to the ground, Bean said.

    Selimaj was shot as she attempted to get up, Bean said.

    "I did not see a knife. She was running with her hands waving and flailing," said Bean, who viewed the incident through the passenger-side window of her mini-van.

    "I saw her get tased. She went down. As she was getting up, I heard a definite shot and then she went down for good," Bean said. "I thought they were shooting at the ground. I thought they were trying to scare her because she wasn't a threat at all."

    Witness Maria Saltonstall, who also is expected to give her account during the inquest, called the shooting "unjustified."

    "I hope he (Morrison) walks the plank because he deserves it," she said.

    Saltonstall said she also was about 30 yards from Deshira Selimaj, standing outside her car at the northwest corner of Sunridge Heights Parkway, when she saw four officers with guns drawn on Selimaj.

    She recalls Selimaj standing, with her arms in the air, and speaking with the officers. She didn't have a knife, Saltonstall said.

    Police were several feet away from Selimaj when they hit her with the Taser, she said.

    Unlike Bean's account, Saltonstall said Selimaj wasn't running when she was hit with the Taser.

    After Selimaj was hit with the Taser she landed against her ice cream truck and slid to the ground, Saltonstall said. She was trying to get up when she was shot by police, Saltonstall said.

    "To shoot an unarmed woman is pathetic, absolutely pathetic," Saltonstall said. "I had nightmares after this. I still, to this day, have goose bumps every time I think of those children screaming and running up and down that sidewalk after their mother was shot."

    A third witness, who did not want his name used out of fear of retribution, said he stopped his pickup and got out of the vehicle to watch the incident, and Selimaj was in a heated conversation with police. The witness said the scene was chaotic, with police officers continuously arriving.

    Four officers approached Selimaj, while a fifth used a Taser on her, he said. The man said he didn't see a knife.

    Selimaj was shot while she was on the ground, the man said.

    Afterward, her 7-year-old son became hysterical and started running toward her, but a police officer yelled at him and told him to stop, he said. Zyber Selimaj became enraged and several officers restrained him on the hood of a police car, he said.

    Henderson police spokesman Keith Paul said the department will have no further comment on details of the incident until after the inquest.

    Paul said he expects Morrison's actions will be deemed appropriate after all the testimony is heard.

    During the inquest a jury will hear testimony and then determine whether Morrison's actions were justifiable, excusable or criminal.

    "We fully anticipate after thoughtful review of all evidence presented at the coroner's inquest that our officer's actions will be viewed as justified," Paul said.

    Christopher Laurent, a chief deputy in the district attorney's office, said 10 or 11 police officers are on the list of 25 witnesses for the inquest.

    Laurent wouldn't say how many of the 25 witnesses corroborate the police version of the incident.

    The inquest will be an impartial process, Laurent said.

    Some, however, contend that it's inappropriate to use lawyers with the district attorney's office to question witnesses because they work closely with police to prosecute criminals.

    Laurent takes exception to that notion.

    "I took an oath to uphold the Nevada and U.S. Constitution," he said. "I hold that very seriously and will fulfill my oath."

    Contact reporter Antonio Planas at aplanas@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638.



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    Mary wrote on May 07, 2008 01:13 PM: Someone needs to make that cop pay for what he did. The Inquest let him off scot free to kill again. He has shown NO remorse what so ever.

    Henderson police has destroyed the communities trust. They cannot be trusted.

    Citizens are advised to fight them any way you can. This was TERRORISM by definition and they must be helf accountable.


    Jeff Grome wrote on April 24, 2008 12:29 PM: As a Civilian, I myself have been trained in lethal and non lethal forms of combat and believe that all law enforcement officers have been trained in most forms of hand to hand Combat, Martial Arts, and/or Ju Jitsu, I would hope most logical, Ethical and/or Moral people would agree that Law enforcement Officers would use such tactics before using Sticks or Tazer guns then last resort Lethal force to protect themselves as well as others.

    The public has not clearly observed that Law Enforcement Department’s Nation wide, have adopted Military tactics as well as military type weapons. Law Enforcement Agency’s complained in the early 80’s of being out gunned in big shootouts that occurred in our nation’s cities, as well as 911, and now Agency’s across America have hired a large percentage military personal to fill Law Enforcement positions. The Public has not gotten the picture that the Military teaches personal to kill.

    A Young Officer fresh out of college or the military with a badge, Glock and M16 who has been trained to kill and/or not been taught the values of a human’s life at such a young age does spell disaster. Now we have young, hardnosed, over aggressive, commando cops who have forgotten our ethics and morals, given lethal weapons and now to only protect and serve themselves and the city officials who back them. Please remember if you value your life, don’t speed in Henderson, NV.


    Brent Jordan wrote on April 24, 2008 10:49 AM: Let’s face it. Any police officer who is so scared of a woman with a knife that he needs to shoot her should turn in his badge (and his man card). shameful. Pathetic. Embarrassing.


    Raymond wrote on April 22, 2008 10:51 AM: This should not have happened, police in this shooting should not be called heros. I would say they were not trained for this type of problem. all I can say is hope the family gets a judgement to help up expences.


    Robert L wrote on April 16, 2008 02:35 PM: After you have been tased, the prongs are still in you. You can be tased again with the push of a button. A knife (If there was one) is a close combat weapon. She could have easily been stopped by re-taseing her. There is more to this story than what is being told


    I Wonder wrote on April 11, 2008 02:52 PM: I wonder how many years the Selimaj family and their business has been targeted, abused, harassed, and ticketed by the HPD. I'd love to see those records.

    Foreigners with easy to spot ice cream trucks. I could see it being a game amongst them to screw with them.

    I don't condone the Selimaj parents actions but I can understand their frustration with the HPD.

    I just wish more cops used more tasers. One taser hitting her properly and the situation would've been over. I will never agree with shooting her.


    smokedog wrote on April 11, 2008 02:31 PM: There is apparently some dispute among eyewitnesses to the shooting about whether Ms. Selimaj was armed with a knife. In a story in Friday's print edition of the RJ, another witness testified that the fact that Ms. Selimaj had a knife was, "unequivical."

    I would imagine that like me, most of the you were not at the scene and have no idea beyond your own preconcieved notions about what happened. You are either all too ready to believe the police are always correct or are never correct when they shoot someone. Your prejudices are showing. How about something heretofore unmentioned, such as a fact!


    comment wrote on April 11, 2008 02:25 PM: After watching the inquest and still watching it I do believe Deshira was irate, pissed off, and upset when she showed up.

    Why do I believe that? Because I believe the HPD enjoyed harassing this couple and screwing with their business and livelihood. They have easily noticable vehicles and they were an easy target to see and harass and write tickets to. Who knows how many years that's been going on.

    Initial stop was made by a Gilmore saying he visually saw Mr. Selimaj speeding. He never even stated he got him on radar. Yet they report his was going 39mph, 24mph over the limit. I'll never believe that. He may have seen him going a little fast, it's a couple they've screwed with before and he wanted to do it again.

    I guess Mrs. Selimaj had just had enough of the abuse taken from the HPD.

    I will never agree with shooting her even if she had a knife. More tasers or a nightstick should have been used.

    I think they will get away with this but I in no way will ever agree with their tactics.

    And if Henderson is so in need of cops and shorthanded why are there so many of them that work traffic duty? They should all be on patrol if they are short handed answering calls.


    Lisa wrote on April 10, 2008 10:41 PM: I do not side with the lady. Cops do not shoot to injure they shoot to kill. So the next time a police office tells someone to put down their weapon, taze them, they get up then I would have shot her too. The other cops that stood by and did nothing are cowards. The shooter did what he had to. I pray people see that.


    mark wrote on April 10, 2008 10:37 PM: After watching the inquest today I am disturbed that police have lost their ability to use common sense. I thought police wanted to protect the public from themselves and others. They are trained to kill to eliminate a weak threat? What would be wrong with backing off and letting the woman tire herself out. They clearly saw she had no more weapons and they out numbered her. They should be embarassed with themselves. I don't believe police of a couple generations ago would have killed her.


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