Family Seeks Justice For Brandon Durham After Vegas Cop Killing
The family of Brandon Durham is speaking out after they allege a member of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department shot him following a 911 call about a home invasion, People reports.
Durham’s 15-year-old daughter, Isabella, who was inside the home at the time of the incident, says she is “disgusted with the Metropolitan Police.” Durham, a Black man, was allegedly shot by Officer Alexander Bookman, who is white, on Nov. 12. after he called 911 to report two men shooting into and attempting to break into his home roughly before 1 a.m.
“The violence that occurred here was under someone who was extremely, extremely angry and extremely violent. And I am disgusted in how the Metropolitan Police told my father, after killing him, to stay down,” Isabella said.
“Knowing, treating him like he was the suspect in the situation, he was the victim, and I’m disgusted that the Metropolitan Police will allow me to live fatherless for the rest of my life.”
After telling 911 operators he had locked himself in the bathroom, Durham said the intruders successfully entered the home through the front and back doors.
Three officers arrived at the scene, including Bookman, to see damage to the home and vehicles. Noises of struggle were also heard coming from inside. Bookman decided to go deeper into the house to investigate and found Durham and the suspect, Alejandra Boudreaux, apparently “struggling over a knife” in the doorway.
According to Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren, Bookman can be heard on bodycam footage telling both Durham and the suspect to drop the weapon. Approximately one second later, the officer fired a shot that struck the man and caused both he and the suspect to fall to the ground.
Bookman then allegedly shot Durham again while he lay on the ground motionless. A total of six rounds were fired, and the victim was pronounced dead at the scene, although officers attempted to revive him.
Those who loved and cared for Durham, who worked as a real estate agent, are trying to make sense of how such a tragedy could happen. Former co-worker Branden Cinquegrani shared fond memories of Durham, calling him a “beautiful soul” with a “huge personality.” “He had a huge personality. Everybody who met him loved him, Cinquegrani told KTNV Las Vegas reporters.
His good friend, Steve Cowan, said he was the first to arrive at the scene to console Isabella. “That was probably the worst — having to tell a 15-year-old kid that their dad died,” Cowan remembers. Both he and Cinquegrani want the department to provide answers and take accountability. “There needs to be an action where we make sure Metro’s held accountable, and we make things better from here,” Cinquegrani said.
“We have to admit the mistake and move forward from that. And there needs to be justice.”
Durham’s longtime partner, Rachael Gore, started a GoFundMe page hoping to bring “justice and healing.” Over $10,000 has been raised so far.
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