Prosecutor: Officer shooting justified; suspect came at cop with folded knife

A Cape Girardeau police officer who shot and killed a suspect in February acted appropriately and will not face criminal charges, investigators said.

Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Chris Limbaugh called the shooting of Andrew R. McLendon, 33, of Cape Girardeau “lawful and justified,” according to a statement issued Friday.

McLendon was shot when he advanced toward officers with a folding knife in the basement of a Cape Girardeau home as officers conducted an investigation into a potential theft, Limbaugh wrote.

Patrolman J.L. Spencer and another officer who was not identified entered the basement of 611 La Petite Court after being invited inside by David Stroder, who lived there, Limbaugh wrote.

Officers found drugs and paraphernalia in the house and located McLendon hiding behind a couch, according to the statement.

The unidentified officer “attempted to gain control of [McLendon] by grabbing him, at which point [the officer] observed a knife in McLendon’s right hand,” Limbaugh wrote.

Although the knife was closed, it was of a type that could be “quickly flipped open with one hand,” and McLendon moved with it toward the officer, according to the statement.

The officer fired three shots, all of which struck McLendon, because he feared for his life, Limbaugh wrote.

The officer then handcuffed McLendon, pulled him from the room — which had not been entirely secured — and administered first aid, according to the statement.

McLendon then was taken to Saint Francis Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, according to the statement.

A person later found hiding in another part of the basement told police he heard several shots but did not see the shooting; no other people were in the basement when the shooting occurred, according to the statement.

A forensic pathologist’s autopsy report “strongly corroborated” the account of the officer who shot McLendon, as well as those of Spencer and Stroder.

Toxicology screens found no controlled substances or alcohol in the system of the officer involved in the shooting but found amphetamines, benzodiazepines and metabolites of THC in McLendon’s system, according to the statement.

Cape Girardeau County Coroner John Clifton indicated he does not plan to conduct a coroner’s inquest, Limbaugh wrote.

“The level of force used by [the officer who shot McLendon] was commensurate with the level of force being used against him,” Limbaugh wrote.

During the course of the investigation, Limbaugh met with members of McLendon’s family and sought their opinion after allowing them to review the evidence gathered in the case, according to the statement.

McLendon’s family members “indicated to me that they did not wish for me to pursue criminal charges against [the officer who shot McLendon],” Limbaugh wrote.

“While these circumstances are tragic, they are not criminal,” Limbaugh wrote.

tgraef@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3627

Pertinent address:

611 La Petite Court, Cape Girardeau, Mo.