The family of a man shot and killed by Fall River police on Tuesday morning decried the police response that led to his death and called for the department to provide a more detailed account of what led up to officers shooting at the man.
Domonick Knight, 38, was killed after police responded to his duplex at 117 Langley St. shortly before 1:40 a.m. Tuesday after his relatives reported he was having a mental health crisis. A police crisis negotiator arrived at the scene around 2:30 a.m., but Knight did not respond to attempts by the negotiator to reach him.
Police first entered the home around 3:15 a.m. and saw movement at the top of the stairs. At that point, police say Knight opened fire at officers standing in the doorway. Officers returned fire and said they resumed efforts to communicate with Knight after the exchange of gunfire.
About three minutes later, police deployed a flashbang and entered the home again, finding Knight at the top of the stairs. He was found with a short-barreled rifle beneath his body and a handgun near his head. Knight “appeared to have sustained a gunshot wound to the side of the head,” police said.
Knight was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
In a Facebook post, Kristen Knight, who identified herself as Domonick Knight‘s wife, said she was grateful for the outpouring of support she had received but she was still struggling to comprehend her husband’s death.
“I can’t fathom the idea of not being able to hug him again. Not give him a kiss again. Not see his smile. Feel him hold me. NOTHING. Seeing my kids a mess is gutwrenching,” she wrote. “My husband’s life was STOLEN. He did not deserve to be gunned down by the ones who were supposed to help him.”
Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the Bristol County District Attorney’s office are investigating the shooting. It’s not clear if Fall River has placed the officers involved on leave, a standard practice following officer-involved shootings.
Kristen Knight said there were still many unanswered questions and slammed the police department for not doing more for the family.
“WE NEED ANSWERS,” she wrote.
The department has released body camera footage documenting the police response from when officers entered the home until Domonick Knight was found shot.
But for some of his family, that’s not enough.
Anthony Knight, who identified himself as Domonick Knight’s older brother on social media, called the video “botched” and asked for video of the entire interaction to be released.
He claims police shot over 60 rounds and shot through the door. In his own videos, Anthony Knight shows the bullet holes throughout the home.
“I hope you all can sleep peacefully. Because I haven’t,” he wrote.
Domonick Knight’s sister, Danielle Otarro, told WCVB she wanted justice for her brother.
“I don’t believe this is happening,” she told the station. “… Some foul stuff went on and they went for a mental health check and they ended up killing my brother.”
“Domonick didn’t kill himself. Even if they try to swing it that way, that’s not what happened,” Otarro said.
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