Officer Fires On Naked Unarmed Man Walking Toward Him

 

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  (Disclaimer: The content in this video is intended for educational and informational purposes only)

Louisville, Kentucky — On May 30, 2026, according to 911 calls, 27-year-old Martin Nitzken Jr. was watching a basketball game with his girlfriend and friends when he suddenly began acting erratically. His girlfriend told dispatchers that he appeared to be experiencing a mental health crisis, describing him as bipolar and saying he unexpectedly became violent. She reported that Nitzken assaulted her and two friends, leaving one woman with a bleeding wrist and another with chunks of hair pulled out. The three fled to a neighboring home for safety and called 911. After the group escaped, Nitzken went outside and continued behaving unpredictably. Witnesses told police that he stripped off his clothes, ran through the neighborhood naked, tore a shutter off a house, and became involved in an altercation with a neighbor, who reportedly suffered a dislocated shoulder. Additional callers described him as having a "mental break." Police were dispatched around 9:30 p.m. after reports of multiple assaults and a potentially dangerous situation. An emergency helicopter was also sent to monitor the scene from above. Officer Nathan Stotts arrived alone and was directed by bystanders to Nitzken's location. Body camera footage shows Nitzken sitting or lying in the street while naked. Stotts repeatedly ordered him to show his hands and stop moving. Nitzken stood up and began stumbling toward the officer. Although he did not appear to be holding a weapon, he continued advancing despite commands to stop. Roughly 90 seconds after arriving on scene, Officer Stotts fired a single shot that struck Nitzken, who later died at the scene. The shooting quickly drew scrutiny because video showed Nitzken was unarmed and because Stotts did not use less-lethal options before firing. The footage also showed that after the shooting, Stotts remained several feet away with his gun drawn for more than three minutes before aid was provided when additional officers arrived. After reviewing the evidence, Louisville Metro Police Chief Paul Humphrey concluded that the officer's actions did not meet department standards and announced his intention to terminate Stotts. Criminal and internal investigations are continuing.