David William Kahler shot dead by Burbank police in front of seven year old stepson captured on bodycam video after pointing gun at cops. Las Vegas man with criminal history gives police little choice.
Disconcert has come to the fore after California cops fatally shot a man who pointed a loaded gun at them as bodycam video captured the man’s terrified 7 year old stepson, repeatedly screaming, moments prior, ‘He’s my dad!’ during the deadly showdown.
The graphic footage, released Wednesday, shows Burbank police responding to a report of a young child wandering alone in a parking lot at a Quality Inn around 5:30 a.m. March 8.
An employee at the hotel had asked police to do a welfare check after seeing the 7-year-old by himself for about 30 minutes outside.
The footage shows an officer approaching the boy and asking where his father is, prompting the child to say his dad was going to ‘go get a car.’
Cops soon learned that the 7-year-old and his stepdad, David William Kahler, 30, had been involved in a car crash on a nearby freeway in a vehicle believed to have been stolen from Las Vegas — and that the pair had fled on foot before walking to the hotel, according to Burbank police Lt. Derek Green in the video release.
Don’t steal cars and point guns at the police. Seems simple?
Kahler of Las Vegas had left the boy at the hotel as he tried to break into several vehicles nearby before finally stealing a maroon Honda Accord that he ultimately drove back to the Quality Inn, Green said.
Once back at the hotel, Kahler was confronted by cops while in the Accord, video shows.
He aimed a loaded 9mm handgun at police as an officer yells, ‘Drop the gun!,’ according to the footage.
Kahler’s stepson is heard screaming, ‘He’s my dad! He’s my dad!’ moments before the gunfire.
A boy who will grow up shattered
Green in the video statement states that ‘one of the officers pointed his duty weapon at the suspect and fired three times.’
The little boy, who was being held by another officer, could be heard crying after the shooting and repeating, ‘No, no, no.’
Kahler was pronounced dead at a hospital. His stepson was unharmed and taken into protective custody, Green said.
Police said a loaded 9mm semiautomatic handgun was recovered at the scene. Police said it had been previously reported stolen out of Las Vegas.
A criminal investigation into the incident by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office is ongoing, Green said.
Kahler had an extensive criminal history, including arrests or convictions for weapons, assault, theft and drugs, Burbank police said.
