Trooper Micah David May
Officer: Nevada Dept. of Public Safety - Nevada Highway Patrol, Trooper Micah David May
Date: 7/29/2021 Location: Las Vegas, NV FACTORS (1,2,8,11,14)
Perpetrator(s) Involved: Douglas Claiborne
Criminal Activity History/Involved: Yes, Claiborne’s criminal history went back to at least 2002 and included charges for “felony assault; assault of an officer; making a terror threat; possession of drugs of a prominent danger; possession of drug paraphernalia”; and battery ./Yes, Claiborne was driving a stolen vehicle and fleeing from the police.
Mental Illness: None stated.
Substance Abuse History/Involved: Yes, Claiborne had a long history of drug addiction to methamphetamine./None stated.
Race/Sex/Age: White/Male/60
What prompted the initial contact with the killer? On the morning of July 27, 2021, Douglas Clairborne carjacked a vehicle. When the stolen vehicle was spotted, Nevada Highway Patrol Troopers gave chase on the interstate. In an attempt to disable the vehicle, Trooper Micah May got out of his patrol car and was putting down “stop strips” as Claiborne headed his way.
Actions taken by subject toward police: Claiborne intentionally drove his vehicle at a high rate of speed into Trooper May. Trooper May “became lodged in the windshield”, was critically injured and transported to the hospital where he was on life support for two days before being declared dead.
Reactions by the police: The troopers pursuing Claiborne rammed his vehicle, eventually stopping its forward motion. When Claiborne refused to surrender and instead reached for Trooper May’s duty weapon, the other troopers justifiably used deadly force and killed Claiborne.
How murdered? Trooper May was intentionally run over by a suspect fleeing the police in a stolen vehicle.
What could have been done differently for the officer to still be alive? Putting down stop strips exposes the officer to grave danger – if the suspect decides to drive at the officer, there is little that can be done besides shooting at the suspect.
Would the officer have been justified to use deadly force before being murdered? Trooper May would have been justified to use deadly force as soon as he saw Claiborne orient his vehicle towards him – however at that point it is likely too late to react given the high rate of speed of the vehicle.
Outcome for the cop-killer: Claiborne was justifiably shot dead by pursuing officers when he attempted to procure the duty weapon from the incapacitated trooper stuck in his windshield.
