N.H. Town Divided After Fatal Shooting
Liko Kenney, described by friends as a free-spirited "hippie kid," had a history of bad blood with police Cpl. Bruce McKay. So there was the potential for trouble when a traffic stop brought them together again.
Within minutes of the Friday stop, both were dead, dividing this town's 924 residents between those who see McKay as a fallen hero and those who considered him a bully with a badge.
"It's a tragic situation — two men lost and two families devastated," said Steve Heath, owner of the Franconia Village Store.
Beyond that, there's little agreement about the tragedy in Franconia, where local Olympian Bode Miller — Kenney's cousin — is royalty. His image appears on posters, signs and keepsakes all over town.
Authorities say McKay, 48, stopped Kenney, 24, for speeding, and Kenney asked to deal with a different officer and drove away.
By the time McKay caught up about a mile down the road, Kenney was in a frenzy, according to his friend and passenger, Caleb Macauley.
"I've never seen anyone so scared in my life," Macauley told WMUR-TV.
McKay forced him off the road and pepper-sprayed him. Kenney then shot McKay four times and drove over him.
Gregory Floyd, a passing motorist and ex-Marine who saw it all, grabbed McKay's gun and shot Kenney to death when he refused to put his gun down. Authorities quickly ruled the killing justified.
McKay, who had a 9-year-old daughter, was to have been married in July atop Cannon Mountain, where Bode Miller learned to ski. Instead his funeral will be held at the mountain.
As many as 6,000 officers from throughout the country are expected to attend Thursday's funeral, but in this close-knit mountain valley, where the Kenney family's roots run deep, at least one town may hold back.
Plans to send two fire department vehicles from neighboring Easton triggered a heated debate at the selectmen's meeting Monday night. Chairman Paul White, who is married to Kenney's cousin, moved to keep them away in protest.
Liko Kenney grew up on his grandparents' rustic tennis camp in Easton, where the extended family still lives. Liko's parents own a coffee plantation in Hawaii, and he followed their seasonal migrations: the islands in winter, the White Mountains in summer.
"He was kinda just a happy, hippie kid. He'd do anything to help anyone," said Holly Hayward, 48, who said she'd known Kenney his whole life.
Friends and family called Kenney a free-spirited outdoorsman who loved all-terrain vehicles and had issues with authority. Court records show he could be volatile even with his own family. In January 2003, an aunt, Larisa Kenney, sought a restraining order against her nephew, then 19. In a handwritten letter, she told the court Liko had frightened her by chain-sawing trees near her cabin, sending one crashing onto her roof as she slept. When she confronted him, she said Liko exploded — shouting, grabbing her and then following her on his ATV as she ran to safety at a relative's home.
© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Within minutes of the Friday stop, both were dead, dividing this town's 924 residents between those who see McKay as a fallen hero and those who considered him a bully with a badge.
"It's a tragic situation — two men lost and two families devastated," said Steve Heath, owner of the Franconia Village Store.
Beyond that, there's little agreement about the tragedy in Franconia, where local Olympian Bode Miller — Kenney's cousin — is royalty. His image appears on posters, signs and keepsakes all over town.
Authorities say McKay, 48, stopped Kenney, 24, for speeding, and Kenney asked to deal with a different officer and drove away.
By the time McKay caught up about a mile down the road, Kenney was in a frenzy, according to his friend and passenger, Caleb Macauley.
"I've never seen anyone so scared in my life," Macauley told WMUR-TV.
McKay forced him off the road and pepper-sprayed him. Kenney then shot McKay four times and drove over him.
Gregory Floyd, a passing motorist and ex-Marine who saw it all, grabbed McKay's gun and shot Kenney to death when he refused to put his gun down. Authorities quickly ruled the killing justified.
McKay, who had a 9-year-old daughter, was to have been married in July atop Cannon Mountain, where Bode Miller learned to ski. Instead his funeral will be held at the mountain.
As many as 6,000 officers from throughout the country are expected to attend Thursday's funeral, but in this close-knit mountain valley, where the Kenney family's roots run deep, at least one town may hold back.
Plans to send two fire department vehicles from neighboring Easton triggered a heated debate at the selectmen's meeting Monday night. Chairman Paul White, who is married to Kenney's cousin, moved to keep them away in protest.
Liko Kenney grew up on his grandparents' rustic tennis camp in Easton, where the extended family still lives. Liko's parents own a coffee plantation in Hawaii, and he followed their seasonal migrations: the islands in winter, the White Mountains in summer.
"He was kinda just a happy, hippie kid. He'd do anything to help anyone," said Holly Hayward, 48, who said she'd known Kenney his whole life.
Friends and family called Kenney a free-spirited outdoorsman who loved all-terrain vehicles and had issues with authority. Court records show he could be volatile even with his own family. In January 2003, an aunt, Larisa Kenney, sought a restraining order against her nephew, then 19. In a handwritten letter, she told the court Liko had frightened her by chain-sawing trees near her cabin, sending one crashing onto her roof as she slept. When she confronted him, she said Liko exploded — shouting, grabbing her and then following her on his ATV as she ran to safety at a relative's home.
- no previous page
- next
1/2
Popular on CBSNews.com
- Massive tornado hits Okla. 63 Photos
- Children rescued from elementary school in Okla. 11 Photos
- At least 51 dead after massive Okla. tornado 91 Comments
- Oklahoma tornado carves trail of destruction Play Video
- Severe tornado tears through Oklahoma City suburb Play Video
- Mile-wide tornado rips through Oklahoma City area
- 20 children among at least 51 left dead by Okla. tornado
- Oklahoma tornado as seen by storm chasers Play Video
Kudos to the ex-marine for taking a pre-emptive stike to protect his and his sons basic liberties to life against the whimes of a mad man. Some folks on this site don't like that...not the usual status quo...tooo bad!!! NH is a great state and I visit without incident every year!
As for religious zealous who wished us non-believing to hell, let me say this. As a good catholic you are to pray for our souls and redemption not wish us to hell (raised catholic so I know). Treating others as I would want to be treated is what I know. Sad to know humans need the fearful of some imaginary almightly to extract the desirable behavior. Religion has always had and still does influence politics and the waging of wars (for control and money). From what I have seen, most highly religious folks just take things on faith and they don't think or analyze..which is exactly what those in power want..no resistance It's the ultimate form of mind control.
On a reality note, my condolences to both families. They they are the ones who will ultimately suffer from the unfortunate actions of Kenny (he should have shut up and taken the $ ticket). Not worth your life over. So Stupid!!
Kudos to the ex-marine for taking a pre-emptive stike to protect his and his sons basic liberties to life against the whimes of a mad man. Some folks on this site don't like that...not the usual status quo...tooo bad!!! NH is a great state and I visit without incident every year!
As for religious zealous who wished us non-believing to hell, let me say this. Treating others as I would want to be treated is what I know. Sad to know humans need the fearful of some imaginary almightly to extract the desirable behavior. Religion has always had and still does influence politics and the waging of wars (for control and money). From what I have seen, most highly religious folks just take things on faith and they don't think or analyze..which is exactly what those in power want..no resistance It's the ultimate form of mind control. As a good catholic you are to pray for my soul..not wish it to hell!
On a reality note, my condolences to both families. They they are the ones who will ultimately suffer from the unfortunate actions of Kenny (he should have shut up and taken the $ ticket). Not worth your life over. So Stupid!!
Kudos to the ex-marine for taking a pre-emptive stike to protect his and his sons basic liberties to life against the whimes of a mad man. Some folks on this site don't like that...not the usual status quo...tooo bad!!! NH is a great state and I visit without incident every year!
As for religious zealous who wished us non-believing to hell, let me say this. Treating others as I would want to be treated is what I know. Sad to know humans need the fearful of some imaginary almightly to extract the desirable behavior. Religion has always had and still does influence politics and the waging of wars (for control and money). From what I have seen, most highly religious folks just take things on faith and they don't think or analyze..which is exactly what those in power want..no resistance It's the ultimate form of mind control.
On a reality note, my condolences to both families. They they are the ones who will ultimately suffer from the unfortunate actions of Kenny (he should have shut up and taken the $ ticket). Not worth your life over. So Stupid!!
Kudos to the ex-marine for taking a pre-emptive stike to protect his and his sons basic liberties to life against the whimes of a mad man. Some folks on this site don't like that...not the usual status quo...tooo bad!!! NH is a great state and I visit without incident every year!
As for religious zealous who wished us non-believing to hell, let me say this. Treating others as I would want to be treated is what I know. Sad to know humans need the fearful of some imaginary almightly to extract the desirable behavior. Religion has always had and still does influence politics and the waging of wars (for control and money). From what I have seen, most highly religious folks just take things on faith and they don't think or analyze..which is exactly what those in power want..no resistance It's the ultimate form of mind control.
On a reality note, my condolences to both families. They they are the ones who will ultimately suffer from the unfortunate actions of Kenny (he should have shut up and taken the $ ticket). Not worth your life over. So Stupid!!
Another thing I find a bit hard to understand is that some of the articles I have read, and some of these messages, seem to want to justify why Kenney did what he did. No amount of bullying justifies shooting a cop 4 times and running him over.
As for the ex-marine whose (disabled) son was with him, and whose vehicle was between Kenney and McKay, if you step into his shoes is there really a question here? Guy with gun just shot and ran over cop, my car is parked in front of him, and guy won't put down his gun. Asking him to wait for back-up, when he feared for his and his son's life,to arrive in who-knows-how-long is unreasonable.
Stop blaming others for the actions of Kenney. He made bad choices, and a lot of people are now suffering.
The LEO gets flak for doing his job... the ex-marine gets it for stopping a situation from escalating.
Would the same people be complaining if the LEO was lax in his town and some nasty crime went down? I think it's pretty rare that a cop just up and decides to bully a certain person. Usually that person is pushing buttons to get some sort of attention.
How about if the ex-marine stalled for another minute and the dude take a pop as his friend, anyone else in sight, or the marine himself? What if he bolts and he's out on the lamb right now? Hiding in your neighborhood?
His parents let him get away with a lot of thigns when he was growing up I am sure. The parents are partly to blame for their son turning out the way he did, although not completely to blame because ther comes a time when a eprson knows right from wrong.
1) a member of a vigilance committee
2) any person who takes the law into his or her own hands, as by avenging a crime
3) done violently and summarily, without recourse to lawful procedures
4) One who takes or advocates the taking of law enforcement into one's own hands
This exmarine was a vigilante as he took the law into his own hands but he did so because he probably felt he was protecting someone in iminent danger which is a lawful defense. This exmarine should be commended.
1) a person, esp. of the late 1960s, who rejected established institutions and values and sought spontaneity, direct personal relations expressing love, and expanded consciousness, often expressed externally in the wearing of casual, folksy clothing and of beads, headbands, used garments, etc.
2) A person who opposes and rejects many of the conventional standards and customs of society, especially one who advocates extreme liberalism in sociopolitical attitudes and lifestyles.
3) someone who rejects the established culture; advocates extreme liberalism in politics and lifestyle
4) a usually young person who does not wish to live by the normal rules of society and who shows his rejection of these rules by his unusual clothes, habits etc
I wouldn't call this mentally challeneged 20 somethign a hippie...he didn't portray the definition of hippie nor did he portray the steriotypicl hippie persona.
huh... please tell me of one state without dangerous citizens and stupid laws... I guess you don't get out much.