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Officers who killed AZ man holding phone ID'd

Posted at 9:31 AM, Jan 03, 2016
and last updated 2016-01-03 14:34:32-05

Las Vegas police have identified two officers who shot and killed a man holding a cellphone that was mistaken for a gun.

Police on Saturday say 37-year-old Sgt. Robert Bohanon and 27-year-old Officer Blake Walford are currently on routine administrative leave.

The officers were assisting U.S. marshals in arresting 23-year-old Keith Childress Jr., who was convicted last month of multiple crimes in Arizona including armed robbery and aggravated assault.

Police confronted him Thursday and ordered him to drop what they thought was a gun in his right hand.

They say Childress disregarded their commands and advanced toward them.

The two officers then opened fire, fatally striking Childress. 

Bohanon has been with Las Vegas police for 18 years and Walford for more than a year.