Funeral visitation was held Monday, Dec. 30, at Hart Funeral Home in Corbin for a Lily man, who was shot and killed in his home by London Police on Dec. 23 while they were attempting to serve a search warrant. Whether police were at the correct residence is unclear.
About 11:53 p.m. on Dec. 23, the London Police Department (LDP) requested that Kentucky State Police (KSP) investigate an officer-involved shooting that one of its officers was involved in that had taken place at 511 Vanzant Road in Laurel County, according to a KSP release.
However, WKYT is reporting that Laurel County Dispatch audio after the shooting indicates multiple times that London Police were trying to serve a search warrant at 489 Vanzant Road.
A search on Google Maps indicates that the area is located in the Lily community.
The preliminary investigation indicates LPD officers were following up on an investigation with an attempt to execute a search warrant. During the encounter, an LPD officer fired their agency-issued firearm, striking the individual, the KSP release indicated.
The man sustained injuries and life-saving measures were performed on-scene. He succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased by the Laurel County Coroner’s Office. No other injuries were reported, according to a KSP release.
The man has been identified as Douglas Marshall Harless, 63, of Lily.
A LPD press release Thursday afternoon confirms that officers from that department were following up on an investigation, which started in the city limits of London.
“This investigation led officers to attempt to execute a search warrant at a residence on Vanzant Road in Laurel County. While doing so, the occupant of the residence produced a firearm and pointed it at officers. The officer then responded with force, which resulted in the death of the occupant,” according to the LPD release.
The officer involved has been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure and in line with the department’s policy for this type of incident, the LPD release stated.
London Mayor Randall Weddle released the following statement Thursday afternoon addressing the shooting.
“The London City Police has released a statement, and my office will closely follow the investigation being conducted by the Kentucky State Police. My heart goes out to everyone affected by this incident. The family and friends of the individual remain in our thoughts and prayers as well as the officers involved. I want to remind everyone that this is an open investigation, so I am limited in what I can say at this time. Let’s allow the Kentucky State Police to thoroughly investigate this situation.”
KSP has statewide jurisdiction and investigates officer-involved shootings throughout the Commonwealth as requested by local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.
“KSP is committed to being transparent while ensuring the integrity of the investigation. To protect the integrity of an ongoing investigation, it is KSP’s standard operating procedure not to release specific details until vital witnesses have been interviewed and pertinent facts have been gathered. Timelines to complete investigations vary based on the complexity of the case,” the KSP release stated.
Harless is survived by his daughter, Nicki Lawson, her husband Tim, and grandson, Kobe Lawson among other relatives.
“A hardworking man, Doug was an employee of Winterwood Inc. He especially enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. Other interests include NASCAR racing and listening to music. Doug was dearly loved by his family and friends and will be deeply missed,” his obituary stated.
