On a cold January evening in 2018, the life of 17-year-old John Albers, a White male, was cut short in the driveway of his Overland Park, Kansas home. The tragic events of January 20th began unfolding after a concerned friend called 911 to report that Albers was suicidal. When police officers arrived at the family's residence for a welfare check, they encountered a situation that would quickly escalate.
As Albers began to back the family's minivan out of the garage, an officer, later identified as Clayton Jenison, opened fire.
The initial two shots were fired as the vehicle was in motion. The minivan then executed a reverse turn, at which point Officer Jenison fired an additional 11 rounds. In total, Albers was struck six times by the gunfire and was pronounced dead at the scene. The officer stated that he feared for his life, believing the minivan was going to hit him. However, subsequent analysis and video evidence have been scrutinized, with some experts concluding the vehicle was moving at a slow speed and that the officer was not in its direct path when he fired the majority of the shots.
In the immediate aftermath, the Johnson County District Attorney announced that no criminal charges would be filed against Officer Jenison, deeming the shooting as justified. Shortly after this decision, Jenison resigned from the Overland Park Police Department. It was later revealed that he received a $70,000 severance package from the city. The case, however, did not end there. In September 2020, the FBI launched a federal civil rights investigation into the shooting. After a nearly two-year inquiry, the Department of Justice announced in September 2022 that it would not bring federal criminal civil rights charges against Jenison. While concluding that the officer's use of force was unreasonable, they determined there was insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he willfully violated the law. The family of John Albers filed a lawsuit against the city and the officer, which was ultimately settled for $2.3 million. No arrests were ever made in connection with the death of John Albers.
