Early Friday morning, a man was shot and killed by U.S. Marshals in Louisville’s Chickasaw neighborhood. The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office later identified him as 25-year-old Omari Cryer.
Cryer’s family and friends are demanding answers about why he was killed and the events that lead up to his death, but officials have released few details. Here’s what we know so far:
Police say Cryer was wanted for arrest
Officials with the Louisville Metro Police Department issued a statement Saturday saying the shooting occurred during a raid by a U.S. Marshals Task Force. As federal agents attempted to serve an arrest warrant around 8:45 a.m., LMPD said, “an altercation ensued” between Cryer and a deputy U.S. Marshal. The deputy shot Cryer and he was pronounced dead at the scene after law enforcement attempted to render aid, they said.
A copy of the arrest warrant obtained by WFPL News shows Cryer was wanted on two felony charges — second-degree assault and first-degree strangulation — related to an alleged domestic violence incident on Jan. 23. He also faced misdemeanor charges of third-degree terroristic threatening and fourth-degree assault.
Police alleged that Cryer punched a woman in the face and head while she was asleep. According to the arrest warrant, Cryer also used his forearm to choke the woman up against a wall while threatening to kill her. The alleged victim, who has a child with Cryer, escaped to a neighboring home.
WFPL does not name victims of domestic abuse.
During the incident, police claim Cryer was holding a black semiautomatic handgun. WFPL has not independently verified the allegations, and Cryer was not convicted of these charges.
Details around Cryer’s killing remain scarce
Cryer died around 9 a.m. in the 800 block of Sutcliffe Ave., although the incident may have started at a home one block away, according to a statement from Chief Deputy Coroner Scott Russ. He said Cryer had multiple gunshot wounds.
While rumors have circulated about the circumstances of Cryer’s death, his family members told local news media that police have not given them any information.
It is still unclear why the U.S. Marshals, a federal unit, were involved in serving an arrest warrant for state charges. The warrant was requested by an LMPD detective and signed by Jefferson County District Court Judge Katie King in March.
The U.S. Marshal Service, created in 1789, is the law enforcement arm of the federal courts. The agency also works with state and local law enforcement to apprehend fugitives.
Brian Parrish, Chief Deputy Marshal of the Western Kentucky District, did not respond to a request for comment.
Jefferson County court documents show Cryer had a bench warrant for failing to appear in court in early 2020 for a hearing about whether his probation should be revoked. That hearing was related to an arrest in 2018 on a misdemeanor charge of failing to maintain required car insurance.
In addition to demands from Cryer’s family, former state representative and U.S. Senate Democratic candidate Charles Booker sent a letter to Louisville Metro officials Sunday asking for “a full and honest account” of what led to the shooting.
LMPD’s Public Integrity Unit is investigating the incident at the request of the U.S. Marshals. That unit typically handles criminal investigations into officers who shoot someone while on duty.
Jacob Ryan contributed to this story.
