Records released in police shooting of man in Kent

The family of Giovonn Joseph-McDade, 20, has been calling for answers since he was shot dead by Kent police June 24.

Now, Kent police have released records from the investigation completed by police in Des Moines.

In a statement, Officer Matthew Rausch wrote he first noticed the people inside a tan Honda acting suspiciously at a gas station, ran the plate and found the tags expired.

He followed them to an Applebee's restaurant parking lot.

When Rausch tried to do a traffic stop, the driver took off.

"He just started driving. Honestly, if it was my decision we wouldn't have left," said Devonte Cheeks, who was in the passenger seat of McDade's car, during a videotaped interview with Des Moines investigators.

Cheeks accompanied investigators on a police re-enactment, riding along to explain what happened. Cheeks said McDade was fleeing police, driving 60 miles per hour.

"It was straight adrenaline. I was scared (expletive). He was focused on the road," Cheeks told investigators.

The chase led to a cul-de-sac where McDade found himself penned in by two officers.

Cheeks showed investigators where Officer William Davis stood in front of McDade's car, with his gun drawn.

"He was yelling, turn off the car, stop the car, get out of the car," Cheeks said in his interview with police.

A neighbor's surveillance camera and police radio recordings captured what happened next.

"He tried to ram me -- shots fired," Davis said over the police radio.

"The cop saw that Giovonn had no intention of stopping, so he fired three shots," Cheeks told police. "That's when I ducked down and after the shots I heard the engine rise and he steps on it. After he steps on it you can slowly see him lose consciousness. "

The car didn't make it around a nearby corner.

Another neighbor's surveillance camera shows how it came to rest in Canterbury Park.

Devonte Cheeks surrendered.

Davis, who fired the two shots through the car's windshield, wrote that he pulled the driver's body out of the car and started chest compressions.

But McDade was dead.

In a statement, Kent police Chief Ken Thomas wrote, "After reviewing the information available, it appears the response of Officers Davis and Rausch were appropriate in light of this quickly evolving and dangerous situation, and I fully support their actions."

An inquest is expected, which is standard practice.

A representative of McDade's family said Wednesday that they had not yet reviewed all of the video released by police, and would issue a comprehensive statement after they watch it.

Kent police have neither body cameras nor dashboard cameras.

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