Documents, Footage Reveal White Plains Police's Side of Chamberlain Story

At around 5 a.m. White Plains Police were dispatched to 135 S. Lexington to run a “welfare check” on Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. “an emotionally disturbed person who was not making any sense,” according to a police incident report.

The reports were released by the White Plains Police Department Friday along with various documents, audio and video from the incident.

Police had visited Chamberlain’s apartment to conduct a welfare check before—the former Marine also had numerous prior arrests, including for narcotics offences; as well as multiple disputes with other residents and was the subject of several emotionally disturbed person phone calls—the documents said.

However, while responding to a call from Chamberlain’s Life Station Medical Alert on Nov. 19 to check on the well-being of the 68-year-old who had a heart condition, the officers ended up taking Chamberlain's life after they say he tried to attack officers with knives after they forcefully entered his apartment.

Here’s an account of what happened according to incident reports from various police officers and emergency personnel who were on the scene:

Officers knocked on Chamberlain’s door and asked him to open the door so they could see him and verify that he was OK. When he asked why they were there, police explained that Life Station contacted them. Chamberlain, whose autopsy revealed that he was legally drunk at the time, said he didn’t call police that he was fine and told them to leave.

Sgt. Keith Martin said that police also wanted to verify if there was someone else in the apartment since Chamberlain was incoherent at times and was talking to “The Lord,” “Mr. President, “ a female, and someone that was raped.  Chamberlain, at one point, asked to speak to President Barack Obama.

At one point police tell Chamberlain they can’t leave without seeing him, and that they are only there to help him and won’t hurt him, however he continues to refuse. The medical alert operator was also asking Chamberlain to open the door, warning that they would break it down if he didn’t. He continued to refuse.

According to the reports, “The decision was made to make entry into the apartment,” and policed called headquarters to ask for the fire department’s assistance with breaking the door down.

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LoHud.com reports that audio footage shows that as cops tried to enter his apartment Chamberlain said, “The first one coming through that door, I’m gonna kill,” and “you kidnapped my grandchildren, you kidnapped my wife, you, you, you raped my daughter.”

Officer Anthony Carelli and Officer Steven Hart arrived with a key to the apartment, however a slap lock prevented police from entering. Martin said he tried to kick the door in to break the slap lock, at which point Chamberlain began thrusting a knife through the door opening.

“At one point I saw the knife come through the apartment door, which was slightly ajar and I could see the blade of the knife quickly go back inside the apartment,” said Paramedic Jose Davila, in his statement to police.

LoHud.com reports that the operator asked whether Chamberlain had a weapon, to which he replied, “I have a weapon. I am just protecting myself.”

Chamberlain’s sister is heard on the audio footage saying her brother “has a mental problem” and “needs to go to the hospital.” Click here for the LoHud.com story.

Police said that Chamberlain then threatened to kill anyone who entered his apartment. Police were called to the scene with tactical gear, including riot shields. Police continued to plea with Chamberlain to drop the knife and open the door.

“At one point through the ordeal Mr. Chamberlain stated that ‘ya’ll may get me, but I’m gonna get one of ya’ll.” 

Hart began tapping on the window of Chamberlain’s ground floor apartment to try to get him away from the door to no avail. Though Chamberlain had a chair up against the door, police eventually made their way in to find Chamberlain holding a knife “in a threatening manner” standing in the doorway. Sgt. Steven Fottrell then shot Chamberlain with a Taser, which had no effect so Fottrell pressed the Taser button a second time. 

Click to view the video footage from the Taser gun, and for crime scene photos. 

Then Martin said that he fired the first bean round into Chamberlain’s thigh, which had no affect. Martin then fired two more rounds in the chest, which made Chamberlain take a step back so that Martin could advance toward him. He fired a fourth shot into Chamberlain’s shoulder hoping that the former correctional officer would drop the knife in his hand.

Chamberlain then began to advance at Martin, who according to reports was out of beanbag rounds. Martin yelled to his fellow officers that Chamberlain still had the knife, causing Carelli to shoot fatally shoot Chamberlain twice. Chamberlain still tried to stab police, then tried to slit his own neck as he lay bleeding, but police disloged the knife from his hand with a police baton. Chamberlain was taken to White Plains Hospital where he died. 

An EMT reported that Carelli was “visibly shaken” by the event.  He along with the six other officer directly involved were taken to White Plains Hospital.

Click here for our coverage on the death of Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. 

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