Police sniper who killed 2-year-old amid Kansas standoff will not be charged: Prosecutors

A SWAT team sniper who accidentally killed a 2-year-old girl last year during a violent standoff and hostage situation in southeastern Kansas will not face criminal charges, prosecutors said on Friday.

The child, Clesslynn Crawford, died of a single gunshot wound to the head in the Cherokee County camper trailer where her father had killed her mother, shot at police and killed himself in March 2022, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

Investigators determined the sniper mistook Clesslynn’s silhouette for her father, 37-year-old Eli Crawford, as she stood on a couch and peered out of the trailer’s window.

On Friday, Cherokee County Attorney Kurt C. Benecke released a 37-page report outlining the fatal police shooting in Baxter Springs, roughly 150 miles southwest of Kansas City, and the legal conclusions behind the decision.

Kansas law did not shield the Joplin, Missouri, police officer from a charge of involuntary manslaughter. But prosecutors ultimately determined there was not sufficient evidence to show at trial that the shooting was reckless, finding that the officer “reasonably perceived” the child as his intended target.

On March 26, 2022, a 911 call was placed by a woman — believed to be Clesslynn’s 27-year-old mother, Taylor Schutte — asking for police assistance. A dispatcher could hear arguing, threats and other signs of violence in the background.

Baxter Springs police officers arrived that evening and knocked on the door. Schutte, who had been visiting with Clesslynn, attempted to leave the trailer.

She made it to the steps before she was shot in the head by Crawford, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

The first responding officers took cover and called for backup. Crawford remained in the trailer with Clesslynn as more police arrived at the scene.

Clesslynn Crawford, 2, was shot and killed by police during a hostage situation, officials said. Knell Mortuary/Screengrab

Over the course of the evening, Crawford allegedly fired nearly 100 gunshots at police officers, striking patrol vehicles and neighboring homes.

A SWAT team from Joplin, Missouri, roughly 15 miles across the state line, was among the agencies called in for assistance. They came with three snipers, two armored vehicles, two entry teams and three negotiators.

During the standoff, Crawford instructed negotiators to have his sister come to the trailer to retrieve Clesslynn. He also threatened to kill the child, police officers and himself if his sister did not pick her up, according to the summary of facts in Friday’s report.

In one recorded phone conversation with a negotiator, Crawford said to “send my sister and get my baby and everything is fine.

“Other than that, I have hand grenades and fully automatic weapons that I am getting ready to use. Do you hear me?”

A few minutes later there was another volley of gunfire that originated from the southeastern-facing part of the camper. One SWAT team sniper, referred to only as “Sniper 1” in the deadly-use-of-force report, heard the bullets hit the trees behind him.

He continued to watch the window for about two minutes before firing a round intended for Crawford. Then he heard a muffled gunshot as he reloaded.

Inside the trailer, Clesslynn was found dead of a single gunshot wound ultimately matched to the sniper’s gun. Crawford was determined to have died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Crawford was on the phone with a friend and reported Clesslynn had been shot through the window before he took his own life, according to the report.

In the report Friday, prosecutors noted the decision applied only to Kansas criminal law, saying police department policies and any potential civil liability were not included within the scope of the review.

In March, family of Clesslyn filed a civil rights lawsuit against the City of Joplin, the City of Baxter Springs and Cherokee County. The lawsuit, which also contains a wrongful-death claim, alleges authorities failed to adequately train those involved, including the shooter, and that police commanders “failed to properly supervise the situation.”

The Star’s Katie Moore contributed to this report.