Kyle Puckett identified as man shot by Evansville police

EVANSVILLE – Evansville police have released new information about Tuesday’s fatal police shooting. Police previously received information that an “armed confrontation” may have occurred between the man who was shot and officers, an official said.

Shortly before 5 p.m. Wednesday, the Vanderburgh County Coroner’s Office publicly identified the man as 36-year-old Kyle Puckett.

Five police officers shot Puckett after a tense, armed standoff, EPD Sergeant Trudy Day told reporters during a news conference. Puckett dialed 911 from his residence in the 500 block of Lewis Avenue at about 5:17 p.m. Tuesday, according to Evansville-Vanderburgh Central Dispatch.

In an audio recording of the call released by the EPD on Wednesday afternoon, Puckett can be heard saying, “I’ve called multiple times, and if you don’t do something, I will.”

“What should I do?” a dispatcher is heard answering.

Puckett further claims that he knew about a “criminal operation” that he would handle “himself.” Telephone operators told Puckett there was nothing he could do and the call was eventually disconnected.

According to EPD, the five officers fired primarily from a defensive position at Puckett, which they had taken up some distance from the house along US 41. The officers have been placed on leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

The department released the audio recording of the 911 call and other information to reporters and the public during a press conference Wednesday afternoon.

Body camera and drone footage show parts of the event

Body-worn camera footage released Wednesday shows Puckett was sitting in a parked van when officers arrived at Puckett’s home at 517 Lewis Avenue.

As an officer approaches, Puckett exits the vehicle and appears to tell the officer to leave his property “immediately.” Day stated that Puckett “pulled a handgun from a shoulder holster he was wearing and pointed the handgun at the officer.”

Officers who responded to the initial 911 call retreated around 5:34 p.m., took cover, Day said, and called for backup.

Shortly thereafter, additional officers parked patrol cars along a stretch of US 41 south of the house on Lewis Avenue and drew their weapons, including semi-automatic rifles.

According to footage from body cameras and drones, the officers were some distance from the crime scene.

Warning: The following video contains graphic scenes of violence.

“At 5:42 p.m., (Puckett), still on the back porch and carrying at least one clearly observed handgun, again began reaching around the porch,” Day said. “Five officers then fired their weapons at the offender and stopped the threat. Officers then rendered aid until the scene was safe for AMR paramedics to enter.”

When asked by a reporter, Day said it was not clear whether Puckett – who is seen in body camera footage pointing a rifle at officers and holding a pistol – ever fired any of the weapons at police. When officers fired their weapons, Puckett appeared to have placed the rifle inside his home.

Day said forensics found no shell casings on Puckett’s porch, where he was when officers opened fire. Initial media reports on Tuesday claimed that officers opened fire when Puckett fired a gun.

The officers’ shots lasted more than a minute

A handgun and, police say, additional magazines were found lying near Puckett’s feet in the moments before the shooting, according to drone footage. Puckett can be seen reaching for the gun but not picking it up.

Puckett is then seen leaning away from the gun, placing his right hand on a nearby railing while resting his left arm against his knee. That’s when the officers open fire. Puckett’s movements toward and away from the gun – and the first shots fired by the officers – happen within seconds.

After the first shots are fired – it is unclear whether the shots hit Puckett – the drone footage shows him picking up the gun and walking toward a lawn in his backyard, causing Puckett to briefly disappear from the drone camera’s view.

As the camera pans out, Puckett is seen lying on the ground pointing a handgun toward U.S. 41, the footage shows. Officers fire more shots, one of which hits a nearby surface. Puckett is shot after crawling toward a staircase leading to the back door of his home.

According to drone footage, about one minute and 38 seconds passed between the first police shot and the shots that hit Puckett as he crawled toward the stairs.

“The officers’ and suspect’s firearms have been seized as evidence and will be sent for ballistics examination,” Day said. “The five officers involved who fired their weapons have been placed on three-day leave and will provide statements regarding the investigation upon their return to work in accordance with our department’s operational policy.”

Concerns about Puckett were raised with police before the shooting

According to Day, law enforcement knew months before the shooting that Puckett possessed firearms and was at risk of harming himself and others.

In April, Day said, an officer found that Puckett “owned multiple handguns and long guns” and that “his parents stated he would engage in an armed confrontation if confronted by police.”

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