Thinking pouch was a gun, Wichita police officer shot man who said ‘I wanna die’

The Wichita police officer who shot a man yelling “I wanna die” told investigators he was fearful the man would shoot him.

Officer Drake Kreifels told investigators that he “feared Christian (Washington) would shoot him or kill him with what he thought was a gun.” Kreifels then shot Washington, who was holding a pouch.

Kreifels was identified in an affidavit written by a police investigator. It was filed in Sedgwick County District Court and released to The Eagle. The document details the experiences of two officers at the scene and two of Washington’s family members. Washington refused to talk with investigators when he was released from the hospital a week after the shooting.

Washington, 26, is charged with felony criminal threat against Kreifels and misdemeanor violating a protection order, which prosecutors classified as a domestic violence offense. He remains in the Sedgwick County Jail in lieu of a $100,000 bond.

The shooting happened the night of July 14 in a field in the 5100 block of North Meridian as officers chased Washington, who had been kicked out of his grandfather’s house in the 3100 block of West Keywest Court, police said in the affidavit.

Washington had showed up at the house at around 4 p.m. even though he had a no-contact order with his grandfather, the affidavit states. His mom talked to him in the garage and sent the grandfather on an errand so he wouldn’t have contact with his grandson.

Washington’s aunt told police that they took tacos to him in the garage. At around 7:30 p.m., his mother told him he needed to leave and offered to get him help. Washington declined the offer for help, became angry and clenched his fists “like he was about to explode,” she told police. The aunt said Washington talked about eating drugs and said, “If I can’t be with family, I’d rather be dead.”

He eventually left the home, and the mom called 911.

A field-training officer and a rookie responded to the 911 call, the affidavit states. They found a man matching the description of the suspect, and dispatchers advised that law enforcement in previous incidents had shocked him with a Taser.

The field-training officer told investigators that he got out of his patrol car, identified himself and told Washington to come over. Washington responded with “I pay your (expletive) taxes” and ran away, according to the court document. The field-training officer and rookie officer ran after him.

The senior officer radioed to other responding officers that he saw Washington reach for his waistband and said he “became fearful when he didn’t show his hands,” the affidavit states. He then unholstered his duty weapon.

Kreifels responded to the scene and pulled his patrol vehicle into the field of cornstalks and beans. He told investigators that he drew his gun and chased Washington, who was running with his right hand holding an object at his waistband. As they ran, he commanded Washington to “stop” and “get your hands up.”

Washington refused to comply with the officer’s commands, according to the court document, until he “abruptly” stopped. He then “faced the officer and ‘squared up’ “ as Kreifels had his gun pointed at him.

Washington yelled “I wanna die” and “I don’t want to live.” He then “quickly drew his right hand out of his waistband in a shooter’s stance and punched out a black object at the officer,” investigators wrote in the affidavit.

Kreifels then fired three rounds from about 30 yards away, the affidavit states. That distance is greater than the farthest target for police firearms qualifications in Kansas, which is 25 yards, according to the Kansas Commission on Peace Officers’ Standards and Training.

One bullet hit Washington in the abdomen. He was handcuffed and taken to Ascension Via Christi St. Francis.