Who is Kenya Lamont Jenkins Jr.?
Kenya Jenkins is the suspect who shot Omaha police officer Jeffrey Wittstruckin the face and top of his head while the cop responding to a shoplifting call at a department store in Nebraska. The cop was dispatched to Westroads Mall’s JCPenney store, where security had reported a suspected shoplifter.
The Omaha Police Department said that Jenkins has a “previous history of resisting arrests and escape.”
Mr. Wittstruck has been with Omaha Police Department since 2016.
How old is Kenya Jenkins?
Kenya Jenkins is 21 years old as of the year 2021.
Who Shot Jeffrey Wittstruck: Kenya Lamont Jenkins
The incident took place on Friday, March 12 at approximately 3:27 p.m. at a JC Penney’s department store in Omaha, Nebraska, when Officer Wittstruck was dispatched to a report of a shoplifter who had been detained by security after they allegedly observed him taking a package of t-shirts and placing them in his backpack before attempting to exit the establishment without paying for them, according to the Omaha Police Department.
Authorities say that Jenkins initially gave store security a fake name and was not forthcoming or cooperative after being stopped. The situation escalated quickly after Officer Wittstruck, who has been with the Omaha Police Department since September 2016, arrived on the scene.
“Officer Wittstruck directed Jenkins to remove his backpack at which time Jenkins stood up and placed his right hand in his sweatshirt pocket.”
“Officer Wittstruck asked Jenkins to show his hands multiple times but Jenkins refused. Officer Wittstruck informed Jenkins he was under arrest and Jenkins remained uncooperative, pushing Officer Wittstruck away while he attempted to place handcuffs on Jenkins”, said Police Chief Todd Schmaderer.
Kenya Jenkins Omaha, Nebraska
According to the Omaha Police Department, Wittstruck and Jenkins got into a brief struggle before Wittstruck drew his taser and Jenkins placed his hand back into his sweatshirt pocket. The police officer then deployed the taser but it was ineffective in stopping the situation with Jenkins.
Wittstruck attempted to arrest Jenkins when Jenkins pulled a gun out of his sweatshirt pocket and fired four times at Wittstruck, who was hit in his face.
Officer Wittstruck’s firearm had not been removed from its holster and was not fired at any point in the altercation with Jenkins. Wittstruck was transported to the Nebraska Medical Center in critical condition but is “stable and recovering,” according to police.
A photo released from Omaha police officer Jeffrey Wittstruck’s body camera — which recorded the entire interaction — shows the two were right next to each other, Wittstruck’s hand touching Kenya Lamont Jenkins Jr.’s blue hoodie.
More from @aliaconleyOWH: https://t.co/hqW87DJyqX
— Omaha World-Herald (@OWHnews) March 13, 2021
According to Schmaderer, with the help of the Nebraska State Patrol, a perimeter was placed around the area to search for Jenkins after he fled the crime scene.
Kenya Jenkins Arrested
“At 5:22 pm a Nebraska State Patrol Trooper discovered the suspect vehicle being driven near [a] gas station, a traffic stop was initiated and the vehicle fled at a high rate of speed. “The suspect vehicle reached speeds in excess of 140mph and continued to drive westbound on I-80 in a reckless manner.”
Authorities were able to successfully deploy stop sticks on the suspect’s vehicle causing it to eventually become stuck on some railroad tracks before the Omaha Police Department was able to take Jenkins into custody as well as locating the Taurus .380 firearm that was allegedly used in the shooting.
Jenkins will be charged with attempted murder and the use of a weapon to commit a felony.
Next Read: What You Don’t Know About Omaha Police Officer Jeffrey Wittstruck
