“Cameron Lamb armed himself with a .45 semi-automatic pistol and aggressively chased his estranged girlfriend

through the streets of the city. Police likely saved the girlfriend’s life by intervening and confronting him”

ALEXANDRIA, VA (Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2020) – Eric DeValkenaere, the Kansas City Police Department (KCPD) detective who was charged this past June in the December 2019 death of Cameron Lamb, will now be supported by the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund (LELDF), its President Jason Johnson announced today from the firm’s headquarters.

LELDF is a national police advocacy organization that provides financial assistance to police officers wrongly charged with crimes for lawful actions taken in the line of duty. LELDF’s announcement today signifies that it has accepted this case to financially support Det. DeValkenaere’s legal defense.

*** Jason Johnson is available TODAY to discuss the factors behind LELDF’s decision to represent Detective DeValkenaere via Zoom, Skype, or FaceTime. Contact Julie Parker or Ray Feldmann at the information above to coordinate.  ***

“The evidence in this case presents a clear picture of the events,” Johnson said today. “Cameron Lamb armed himself with a .45 semi-automatic pistol and aggressively chased his estranged girlfriend through the streets of the city. Police likely saved the girlfriend’s life by intervening and confronting him.”

Facts show that on the early afternoon of Dec. 3, 2019, KCPD observed a red pick-up truck chasing another vehicle through the streets of Kansas City. Officers attempted to catch up with the pick-up truck, but had to involve the police helicopter in order to track the fleeing vehicle. At some point, the driver of the pick-up truck drove down the driveway of a home on College Avenue in Kansas City and into the back yard.

Two detectives, Eric DeValkenaere and Troy Schwalm, arrived on College Avenue and walked to the back yard, where the fleeing vehicle had been spotted by the helicopter crew. Det. Schwalm approached from the driver’s side and Det. DeValkenaere approached on the passenger side. They were shouting verbal commands toward the driver, Lamb, in an attempt to have him stop and show his hands.

Det. DeValkenaere saw Lamb (still seated in the driver’s position) reach toward his waistband with his left hand. Lamb then raised a handgun and pointed the gun toward Det. Schwalm.

Fearing that Lamb was going to shoot Det. Schwalm, Det. DeValkenaere discharged his firearm four times into the windshield of the pick-up. Lamb was struck multiple times. The pick-up continued travelling into the garage, where it came to a stop. When officers entered the garage, they found Lamb deceased. The gun was found on the floor of the garage and Lamb’s arm was hanging out the open window of the pick-up. The gun was a .45 semi-auto pistol, which had been reported stolen from Kansas City, KS.

Additionally, the pick-up truck operated by Lamb had been reported stolen and was spray painted.

“When he was cornered,” Johnson said, “Lamb grabs his gun and points it toward one of the responding officers. The other officer sees this and uses deadly force to protect his partner. The officer involved is a respected and decorated 20-year veteran of the KCPD. All of this information is supported by the objective evidence. Yet the elected prosecutor, Jean Peters Baker, is going after the officer for no other reason than to help secure her election in November.”

Additional facts of the incident are included on the LELDF website: www.policedefense.org

The mission of the LELDF is both benevolent and educational. It supports and defends the law enforcement profession and those law enforcement officers who have devoted their lives to upholding the Constitution and serving the United States and its citizens while enforcing its laws. It also seeks to educate the public about the many risks and threats to law enforcement personnel in order to build a more informed, respectful, and appreciative society.

The 501(C)(3) organization was founded in 1995 in Alexandria, Virginia. It currently represents 10 police officers’ cases, including Officer Rolfe. More information is available on the LELDF website:  https://www.policedefense.org/