By james art Washoe County District Attorney Chris Hicks announced that the 2023 shootings of Scott Kennedy and Jeremiah Graham by Reno police officers Stephen Mayfield and Travis Luke were justified and legal under Nevada law.
Hicks released a comprehensive 37-page report detailing the facts of the case, including photographs, witness accounts and legal analysis to support the decision. The release of the report was delayed pending the conclusion of Graham’s prosecution to preserve the integrity of the legal proceedings.
The incident began when Reno police responded to a suspicious activity call at 1570 Sky Valley Drive on January 8, 2023.
Officers encountered Anna Doyle, who appeared to be injured and claimed to have been in a physical altercation with Graham and his girlfriend, Salina Cruz. Officers found multiple firearms in the apartment shared by Doyle, Kennedy, Graham and Cruz.
Officers later observed Kennedy and Graham leaving the apartment with firearms. Sergeant Mayfield tried to stop them, posing as police, but was met with gunfire. Both officers returned fire, killing Kennedy and injuring Graham.
An investigation led by the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office determined that Kennedy and Graham posed an immediate threat to officers and the public. Graham was later charged and convicted of possessing a firearm as a prohibited person.
The district attorney’s office concluded that the officers’ use of deadly force was necessary and justified, closing the case unless new evidence emerged.