Following a two-year court battle, KCUR, a Kansas City public radio station, revealed today that Keaton Siebenaler, who left the Joplin Police Department in August 2025 was the sniper who accidentally killed 2-year-old Clesslyn Crawford March 26, 2002 in Cherokee County, Kansas.
Siebenaler graduated from the Missouri State Highway Patrol Academy last week and has been assigned to Troop D where he is patrolling Barton and Vernon counties.
The release of Siebenaler's name was part of an agreement with KCUR, according to a statement released last week by the station's attorney, Bernard Rhoads.
The City of Joplin was scheduled to release the officer's name in response to a Sunshine Law request when "John Doe" filed a request November 20, 2023 for a temporary restraining order and a permanent injunction.
The sniper was with a JPD contingent that was called in for assistance March 26, 2022 for a standoff at 340 Wyandotte Avenue in Baxter Springs. A female caller told Baxter Springs dispatch she needed helped and when officers arrived, the woman, Taylor Dawn Shutte, 27, was shot to death by Eli Crawford, 37, who then went back into the house with their 2-year-old daughter, Clesslyn Crawford.
Crawford began shooting at officers from the Baxter Springs Police Department and the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office, who called in additional assistance from the Kansas Highway Patrol, Kansas Bureau of Investigation and Joplin Police Department SWAT including John Doe.
According to a report issued in September 2023 by the Cherokee County District Attorney's office and including the conclusions of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Eli Crawford fired more than 90 rounds from the trailer window.
Crawford offered a deal to negotiators, according to the report.
According to a report issued in September 2023 by the Cherokee County District Attorney's office and including the conclusions of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Eli Crawford fired more than 90 rounds from the trailer window.
Crawford offered a deal to negotiators, according to the report.
Negotiations continued for the next 20 minutes interspersed with shots from the trailer. At that point, Siebenaler took the fatal shot.
After that, Crawford fired another shot, killing himself.
Siebenaler was also cleared in the Joplin Police Department internal investigation.
Being “ trigger happy” seems common with the new semi-automatics
ReplyDeleteNo good can come from this. I pray for safety for him and his loved ones. Thank you for your service.
ReplyDeleteYes, thank you for your service shooting babies. The area is safer.
ReplyDeleteRude!
DeleteThis little girl losing her life was a terrible tragedy - brought on by her father's decisions - but did this Officer - Know what the HELL HE WAS DOING???
ReplyDeleteI will always question, what was his - so-called Qualifications and Training? Not just having a Scope and shooting at the Police Firing Range, on sunny days - Not just being a Hunter or Growing up with Guns - Not just being Ex-military - what were his Qualifications and Training from the Day he was Hired - - - Everyone thinks they are Chris Kyle and Rambo in one - but before you pull that Trigger you better know where that Bullet is going - - - The Majority Fail to believe that his Qualifications and Training - matched what was needed to take this type of shot -
Before pulling the trigger, a sniper must calculate complex environmental and ballistic variables, including wind speed/direction, distance, humidity, air density, and the Coriolis effect (Earth's rotation). They must ensure stable positioning, proper breathing, and precise target identification, proper ballistic and scope settings, while accounting for bullet drop and potential target movement.
Snipers rely on spotters and only shoot when ordered. Clearly no one, including the sniper knew the girl was in the line of fire. If her father wanted to protect her, he would not have been holding her. It’s a horrible tragedy that this sniper will have to live with. But the fault lies with dad.
ReplyDelete