City expected to pay $200,000 in settlement for 2019 Wichita police shooting

The Wichita City Council is being asked to approve a $200,000 settlement with a man shot by police on July 14, 2019.

On the agenda for the council’s Tuesday’s meeting is a recommendation from the law department to settle because of the “uncertainty and risk of an adverse judgment at trial,” according to the council’s agenda. The agreed-upon settlement covers the city and officer Drake Kreifels, who shot Christian Joel Washington after a domestic disturbance.

Kreifels shot three times, hitting then-26-year-old Washington once in the abdomen.

Washington was taken to the hospital and underwent two surgeries, “ultimately resulting in both a colon and intestine resection,” Washington’s attorney, Timothy Hodge, wrote in the lawsuit.

“He was confined to a wheelchair for months following his release from the hospital,” he wrote.

Kreifels was hired by the department in August 2018 and graduated from the police academy in January 2019. He had been on patrol less than six months when the shooting happened.

Hodge said there is “room for interpretation” about whether Washington had a satchel in his hand that Kreifels had believed was a gun when the shooting happened, court records say. Hodge also called into question the “shifting story” from a court filing compared to Kreifels’ story about when the officer saw the dark object (satchel) later perceived to be a weapon, court records show.

All charges against Washington were dropped.

Hodge did not respond to questions from The Eagle.

Wichita police spokesperson Chad Ditch said Kreifels would not be available to comment.

Washington’s mother called 911 after her son showed up at his grandparents’ home in the 3100 block of West Keywest Court, close to 53rd Street North and Meridian, court records say. Washington had a no-contact order with his grandfather.

She believed her son had been using methamphetamine and jumped in the lake behind the house, The Eagle previously reported. She told an emergency dispatcher that “he has a history of being violent, he could be combative with police,” according to that Eagle story.

Police arrived just before 8:30 p.m.

A court filing from U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Crabtree details what happened from there:

Officers Mark Oliverson and Glen Whisby found Washington walking along the road, next to a field. The officers tried to call over Washington before he took off running, Crabtree wrote that body cam footage showed.

The officers chased after Washington.

Oliverson said over the radio that Washington was reaching into his waistband as he ran. Oliverson told Washington to get his hands out of his pocket.

Washington replied with an expletive.

Oliverson told Whisby to stay back. The two officers started walking, staying behind Washington from a distance.

Washington was well ahead of them when a patrol car, driven by Kreifels with lights and sirens going, drove into the field after Washington.

“Before the car stopped, Officer Kreifels opened the door,” Crabtree wrote, referring to what Kreifels’ body cam showed. “He then got out of the car and drew his gun immediately.”

Kreifels gave multiple commands for Washington to get his hands up. Washington had stopped running and was now facing Kreifels while walking backward.

Kreifels later told investigators that Washington said something like, “I want to die” or “I don’t want to live,” Crabtree wrote, though the judge did not mention hearing that in the footage.

“He had his hands either at his side, or in front of him,” Crabtree wrote, again referring back to the footage. “He then shouted, ‘(expletive) you’ and immediately extended both arms out to his sides at shoulder height.”

“As he raised his hands, Officer Kreifels told plaintiff to ‘get [his] hands up,’ he continued. “Then, just as Officer Kreifels told plaintiff to get his hands up again, plaintiff began to move his arms in front of him. Officer Kreifels fired his gun three times … Plaintiff’s movements and Officer Kreifels’s shots occurred almost simultaneously within the span of just one second. After Officer Kreifels shot him, plaintiff fell to the ground on his back.”

With his gun still drawn, Kreifels told Washington to “let go of whatever is in your right hand.”

It was the satchel with a compass inside.

It took 26 seconds from the time Kreifels stepped out of his car until he shot Washington, Crabtree wrote.