LMPD: Suspect who shot officer from close range now facing attempted murder charge

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - For the fifth time in about two months, LMPD Chief Steve Conrad had to address a shooting involving his officers.

Tuesday, via videoconference, Conrad and Lt. Ted Eidem shared body-camera video and some new details about an early-morning shooting involving two of his officers and a suspect.

“We went from a relatively calm interaction that quickly turned into an incident requiring a split-second decision from our officers," Conrad said.

Eidem said LMPD Officer Patrick Dahlgren smelled marijuana and approached an occupied vehicle near an apartment complex in the 6900 block of Bardstown Road just before 2 a.m. Tuesday.

LMPD said 18-year-old Decedric Binford got out of the car, and after being patted down and asked a few questions, he reached into his car to get something out of it. Just after another officer, Trevor Troutman, pulled up, Binford pulled a gun from his car and shot Dahlgren in the shoulder from close range, LMPD said.

Binford ran off into a nearby neighborhood, prompting both officers to fire back at him.

Neighbor Jill Hope told WAVE 3 News she was babysitting her grandchildren at the time of the incident and they were awoken by the sound of gunshots.

“It was terrifying," she said. “To see something like that and not know if somebody’s hurt or if they’re going to run to my house and try to get in. I don’t want to hurt anybody, but if they come in there I’m going to have to protect myself and my granddaughter and grandson.”

Hope said she cracked her front door and watched, as police found and confronted Binford.

Eidem said each officer fired four shots, and Binford fired once more as he was running away, but he eventually fell to the ground. He was struck once.

Hope told WAVE 3 News she hasn’t been able to go back to sleep because of what she saw.

“It’s been hard," Hope said. "It’s been very emotional to have it happen in my front yard.”

Dahlgren and Binford were both taken to a hospital. Dahlgren already has been released. Binford’s injuries also are not life-threatening, but he was still hospitalized as of Tuesday afternoon, Eidem said.

“It’s something that officers hope they never have to do, fire their weapons in the line of duty,” Conrad said.

Binford will be charged with attempted murder of a police officer, among other counts, LMPD said.

Dahlgren and Troutman both joined LMPD in February 2018. They are now on administrative reassignment, per department protocol.

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