“They can force her, spray her, and take her down. That's what they've got taser guns for. Why did they use one?” asks Sherry Reddings.
Family members are searching for answers after police fatally shoot 44 year old Karen Day Tuesday night. Police say Day approached officers with a knife, ignoring their commands, but family now question if there wasn't a better way to handle the situation.
Family members are living a nightmare Wednesday as husband Derrick Jackson tries to make sense of the previous night's events.
“It makes no sense to me how I'm sittin' down here, hearin' my wife die, because I heard gunshots,” said Jackson.
Jackson had called police earlier to clarify the terms of a protection from abuse order. His wife, Karen Day, had filed it, but showed up at Jackson's house. Jackson waited down the block while two officers went to speak with day about the terms.
“She comes off the porch area, approaches the officers, she still has the knife in her hand, she still has the blade portion pointed at the officers,” said Wichita Police Chief Norman Williams.
She wasn't running, but the officers say the 20 foot distance between Day and themselves became 5 to 7 feet in 30 to 45 seconds.
“As she approaches the officers, the officers are repeatedly giving commands to stop, drop the knife, stop! She tells the officers, “shoot me!” She repeats that over again for them to shoot her,” explains Chief Williams.
The officers say they felt threatened and did shoot her multiple times.
"And they kept me down there and I said I know I didn't just hear my wife get shot... Oh my god.." recalls Jackson.
These family members are shocked saying she's never showed this type of violent behavior.
“I'm going to remember Karen, the last time I saw her, with a smile on her face saying I love you sis, and that's what we said to her- we love you too sis we'll see you later, and she said ok,” said Sherri Reddings.
They're in more disbelief with how it all happened.
“She could have been tased, pepper sprayed, and then you know, they could have used any other force tactic than what they did, bullets? If she had a gun, now that's a threat, but a knife?” asks Reddings.
Chief Williams defends the officer’s actions.
“The lady was within 5-7 feet of her at the time the officers fired, she was that close. It goes to show what can happen in a matter of split seconds,” said Williams.
The two officers involved in the shooting are on administrative leave while the case is investigated. One of the officers was on the force for 2 years. The other for five and a half years.
