Criminal charges have been filed against Kansas City detective Eric De Valkenaere, six months after the shooting death of Cameron Lamb.
The 26-year-old father-of-three boys was shot to death as he sat in his pickup truck at his home in the 4100 block of College Avenue on Dec. 3, 2019.
The Jackson County prosecutor’s office announced the charges against De Valkenaere on Thursday, June 18, KCTV5 News reports.
According to prosecutor Jean Peters Baker, De Valkenaere was charged with first-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action.
According to an affidavit, Des. Troy Schwalm and Det. De Valkenaere responded to a radio call about a traffic incident in the area of College Avenue and 41st on Dec. 3.
A police helicopter observed a red pickup truck being driven to a house at 4154 College Avenue, according to KCTV5 News.
Det. Schwalm arrived at the location first. With gun drawn, he entered the backyard without the resident’s permission.
Det. De Valkenaere then arrived, and observed the red pickup, being driven by victim lamb, backing into the garage.
De Valkenaere later stated he could see Lamb’s hands on the steering wheel and he saw Lamb’s left hand slide down his body toward his waistband, pull a gun and point it toward Det. Schwalm who was standing on the driver’s side of the truck.
De Valkenaere then fired his weapon four times through the windshield. Two bullets hit Lamb, mortally wounding him.
When investigators arrived, they saw Lamb’s left arm outside the open driver’s window. A gun was on the ground under the driver’s side window.
But medical records show that Lamb was right-handed and did not have full use of his left hand as a result of an injury he sustained in 2015.
Lamb made a phone call around the time he was shot. His phone recorded audio of the incident. The phone was found by his right side when crime technicians processed the scene.
Prosecutors requested a bond of $30,000 for De Valkenaere, according to KCTV5 News.
Attorney S. Lee Merritt is representing the family.
“We’re hoping law enforcement will learn there is accountability if they use deadly for without the proper justification,” Merritt said.
