Bodycam footage shows the moments before Henderson police shot and killed an armed man

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Body camera footage released by the Henderson Police Department shows the moments before police shot and killed a man accused of pointing a gun at someone.

On June 20, around 9 a.m., Henderson police responded to the 1800 block of Ward Drive, near Sunset Road and Margarita Avenue, east of Boulder Highway, after a man reported he was picking up his co-worker when a family member of the co-worker pointed a gun at him, police said.

The man who pulled out the gun was identified as 33-year-old Michael Fretheim.

In 911 calls released by HPD, the victim stated that after Fretheim told him to leave the house, he pointed the gun at him. He then said Fretheim began “chasing him down the street” while holding the gun and guitar.

When officers arrived, they found Fretheim at an apartment complex on Foster Avenue, where he was “uncooperative and refused to comply with officers’ commands.” According to HPD, he then fled from officers, reached into his waistband and pulled out a gun.

According to police, a short foot pursuit ensued before Fretheim put the gun to his head. Officers continued to pursue him as he made his way to the 1800 block of Margarita Avenue.

During the pursuit, the officer can be heard telling the dispatch center: “He says we have to kill him.”

Officers attempted to de-escalate the situation and ask Fretheim to drop the weapon. The SWAT team and crisis negotiation team arrived at the scene and officers attempted to calm Fretheim down.

While officers spoke with him, Fretheim walked toward the front door of a home in the area. As he approached the door, Officer Tyler Travers fired his rifle, striking Fretheim in the hand and shoulder.

Fretheim then walked away from his home and into the street while still holding the gun to his head. Police were eventually able to get Fretheim to drop the weapon before taking him into custody, HPD said. He was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and, after being released, to the Henderson Detention Center.

Fretheim is charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, one count each of resisting a police officer (being a person not equipped with a firearm) and obstructing a police officer.

8 News Now was unable to ask Henderson police questions about the officer-involved shooting incident because the information was posted on the police department’s YouTube page.