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Kentucky Police File Confirms Wrong-House Raid That Killed Doug Harless

The disclosure renews pressure for stricter warrant planning.

Overview

  • Kentucky State Police released a nearly 1,000-page case file that confirms London officers executed a search warrant at the wrong home and fatally shot 63-year-old Doug Harless.
  • The report traces the mistake to images from Google and Apple Maps and county property records that mislabeled 489 Vanzant Road as 511, sending officers to the wrong address.
  • Investigators say officers announced themselves, forced the door after no answer, then confronted Harless holding a pistol before an officer fired five shots, killing him, and KSP found he had no link to the theft case.
  • Records document key lapses in planning, including a captain on scene who had not seen the warrant, no formal operational plan, and no ambulance staged nearby in case of injury.
  • After a February grand jury returned a 'no true bill' that led to no charges, local officials asked federal authorities to review the case, and the London City Council moved to add body cameras.