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Police shoot, kill man in Lake Havasu City
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SPECIAL TO THE LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
KINGMAN, Ariz. -- Investigators suspect alcohol played a significant role in the shooting death of a 39-year-old man by police early Wednesday in Lake Havasu City.
Police from nearby Kingman are conducting an independent investigation of the shooting, customary in Arizona for police shootings.
Kingman police Sgt. Bob Fisk said five adults and six children had been attending a birthday party at a residence in the 3700 block of Los Dutchman Drive.
A woman called police at 2:48 a.m. indicating that her boyfriend was threatening to kill himself and the children.
Fisk said it appeared that the "suicidal" subject drank a half bottle or more of tequila before getting upset.
Lake Havasu police Sgt. Joe Harrold said arriving officers heard screams inside the house right before Danny Haskell went outside with a handgun.
Police said officer Gregory Melodia, a 12-year veteran of the Havasu City department, fired at Haskell, and Haskell fired at the officer.
Fisk said it appeared that Haskell was shot once in the head and once in the side. Fisk said that it will take additional investigation and an autopsy to determine more details.
Fisk said Haskell possessed a .38-caliber handgun and was declared dead at the scene.
Police had not responded to previous incidents involving Haskell at that address, Harrold said.
Melodia, following procedure in Arizona, was placed on paid leave while the shooting is investigated.
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Are METRO cops driving around Arizona again?
Amazing, pmmart, somehow you miraculously inserted facts into yo-yo's argument, Oh wait, no, you just displayed how little you have to contribute with a flaccid insult not even worthy of a grade school playground.
I would say that bg.hs has started having her period and that is making her crabby as evidenced by her comments but she hasn't changed her posts from her non-period daze so that cannot be the problem.
Good job Officer Melodia. That time on the range really pays off when you need it too.
I was wondering about the name change
Keep feeding a drunk booze, real smart. If someone had the brains to stop him from drinking, he would be alive. The cop had no choice. You don't let a drunk carry a gun. That family is just plain stupid. Now the cop has to go through the wringer because of these jerks. Arrest the family members for being dumb.
So who fired first? That's the question.
@yo-yo...I love facts, please next time give me some. You suggest that "Havasu is a very small police department that rarely sees a homicide.." so they have chosen to use a larger, more experienced department to investigate this FOIS. Now I will show you just how much I love facts. The investigation was handed over to an independent department because that's what they do in Arizona, and the Kingman police are the ones investigating this. By the way Kingman has a lower murder rate than Lake Havasu City. Those are facts, I welcome them. Do you? And LVMPD's isn't involved in this investigation, so please what facts were you offering?
bghs, why did you change your name? Were you banned for trolling? Did you consider that the reason LVP doesn't turn over the investigation is because they are the most experienced? Havasu is a very small police department that rarely sees a homicide. There is a reason why other agencies were using LVP for officer shootings and that is they are the most experienced in homicide investigations. But, hey, you don't want facts and never will.
Interesting, LVP doesn't treat the officer any different and turns the investigation over to another jurisdiction in an attempt to avoid a conflict of interest,