Raneka Pate, a 28-year-old Black woman, called police last month to report that her boyfriend was threatening to kill her, their 3-year-old son and himself.
Las Vegas police showed up and killed both the father and son, according to Pate, who is now preparing to file a wrongful death lawsuit.
Police say they killed the father, Quinton Baker, but blame the father for killing his son, Kentre Baker. They have shown selected portions of body camera footage to reporters during a press conference, but it does not provide a clear view of how the toddler was killed.
Police say both the father and officers fired simultaneously, but the video shows a muzzle flash from an officer’s gun and no clearly visible muzzle flash from the gun the father was allegedly holding
But police say the boy was struck three times, including twice at close range with one bullet to the head. They also said the third shot to the boy’s leg is “undetermined” as to where it came from.
Now, attorneys retained by Pate are demanding police release all the evidence that would provide a much clearer picture as to what took place in the early hours of Feb. 3.
“That includes bodycam footage, 911 calls, all of the officers that were at the scene, investigating officers, everybody that was involved,” attorney Ofelia Markarian told KSNV.
“Every single piece of evidence is extremely important to piece this whole story together. But the story that is being portrayed out to the media, to the public, is not the complete and true story.”
Watch the limited footage below from the press conference showing the shooting.
‘My Heart Ripped Out of My Chest and Stomped On’
It was 1:20 a.m. on a Tuesday when Las Vegas Metropolitan police arrived at the apartment complex in response to a call from Pate, who said Baker was threatening to kill them all.
When police arrived, Pate was standing outside the apartment complex and told cops that Baker was inside the apartment with a gun and the child.
Police placed Pate in the back of a patrol car as Baker walked out of the apartment with the boy in his arms. Pate told local media he was not holding the gun, but the video shows he was holding an object pointed at the child.
“The suspect exited the residence while pointing a firearm at the juvenile, holding that juvenile hostage,” Las Vegas Police Capt. Ryan Wiggins told local media.
“Officers issued verbal commands to the suspect to peacefully surrender, and the suspect refused to comply,” he continued.
“The suspect approached the officers, still holding the juvenile hostage, causing our officers to discharge their firearms, striking the suspect. Simultaneously, the suspect, while pointing his firearm in the direction of the juvenile, discharged his firearm.”
Pate said she had asked the cops to de-escalate the situation, but they only escalated it.
“My son’s dad came out of the apartment carrying my son. He did not have a weapon,” Pate told local media.
“He was carrying my son, walking toward the officers,” she continued.
“Seven or eight officers had their weapons fully drawn. They were commanding him to stop, but he was not. He was not armed, and he had my son, so he didn’t stop, and that’s when the officers all opened fire.”
Pate, who watched the shooting from the patrol car, said she regrets calling police.
“I watched my heart be ripped out of my chest and stomped on,” she told local media.
In 2024, Las Vegas police shot and killed a Black man named Brandon Durham after he called 911 to report a woman breaking into his home with a knife.
‘Trying to Play Damage Control’
The footage released by police shows an image of Baker after having been killed, lying in a pool of blood, holding a pistol in his hand.
But the footage does not show whether he actually fired the gun.
Nevertheless, “law enforcement experts” interviewed by the Las Vegas Review-Journal who watched the video said the cops were justified in shooting Baker.
“In this case, there wasn’t any room for negotiation, almost from the beginning, because he came down with the gun pointed,” said Charles Joe Key, a former Baltimore police lieutenant.
“Metro had no choice, nor did they cause the confrontation.”
But that still doesn’t answer the question as to whether the child was killed by cops or his father.
“Metro has put out their statement. We don’t agree with it,” said Corrine Murphy, another attorney representing Pate.
“And we’re going to do the diligence and footwork so that we can put out a full narrative of what actually happened based on irrefutable evidence.”
Attorneys told local media that Pate must first be named administrator of her son’s estate before she can file a lawsuit.
“They are trying to play damage control, but they will pay for killing my son,” she said.
Pate has launched a GoFundMe to raise money for funeral and legal expenses, which has raised $9,236 as of this writing, with a final goal of $15,000.
“Kentre was pure sunshine in human form,” she wrote in the GoFundMe description. “He had a playful, curious spirit and was fearless with a smile that could melt any heart.”
“His laughter filled every home he stepped foot in, and his hugs were the kind you never wanted to let go of.”
Watch the full press conference below.
