Wrongful Death: Man Killed by Police in Botched Warrant Operation

Laurel County, Kentucky. The community is reeling from the fatal shooting of a 61-year-old man, Doug Harless, by London police officers. The incident occurred when officers mistakenly arrived at Harless' residence to serve a search warrant, raising numerous questions and concerns among neighbors and residents.

Describing the harrowing moment, a neighbor who wishes to remain anonymous recounted, "I heard five shots. At least five shots. Woke me up. I was laying on the couch." The abrupt and tragic nature of the event has left neighbors in disbelief, seeking clarity on why the police were at Harless' door on the night of December 23rd.

One neighbor provided a chilling account of the events that transpired that fateful night, stating, "My wife looked out the back door and said, Doug's house is all lit up. At that time, we had seen several cop cars up and down the road, and I contacted his daughter. She sent her husband out here to find out that her dad was deceased. The cops had shot him."

London Police maintain that they were executing a search warrant at a residence on Vanzant Rd. in Laurel County. According to a press release by the officers, Harless allegedly pointed a gun at them, prompting an officer to open fire, resulting in Harless' tragic death.

However, confusion arises as neighbors reveal discrepancies in the warrant's intended target. One neighbor expressed, "But now everything is breaking out, whether the search warrant was for 489, which is right here on this corner, two doors down from Doug. They are looking for the guy that lives there in that house for a stolen weed eater."

Neighbors vehemently assert that Harless was an innocent victim, not a criminal. Carl Merritt, a resident living across the road, captured the fatal encounter on his surveillance camera. Recounting the footage, Merritt stated, "Well, it shows on the camera that there were police officers on his porch and they announced that they were there. They banged and banged and banged until they finally made their way through the man's door, and with not even making it completely through the door, they shot him. I mean, it was just that quick."

Merritt disclosed that the Kentucky State Police now possess the surveillance footage, which could potentially shed light on the sequence of events leading to the tragic outcome.

Family, friends, and the local community are rallying for justice for Harless, emphasizing his peaceful nature and the injustice of his untimely death. Merritt reflected on Harless, describing him as "a very quiet, humble person who stayed to himself, never bothered anybody. For something like that to happen to that poor man, it hurts me really. To think that somebody like that, especially in my backyard, being shot, you know? In his own home."

London Mayor Randall Weddle issued a statement in response to the incident, expressing solidarity with those impacted and assuring that his office will closely monitor the investigation led by the Kentucky State Police. Mayor Weddle urged the community to allow the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.