Omaha, Nebraska -
Tyree Bell had a criminal history that spanned 15 years.
It began in 1997 with a disturbing the peace arrest, gradually escalating to more serious offenses like theft and assault.
He was sentenced to a year in prison in 2010 for being a felon in possession of a deadly weapon. A year later, he was accused of assaulting his girlfriend.
Omaha police say Bell, 31, was suicidal and mentally ill when they confronted him Tuesday during a domestic disturbance. Bell used his 3-year-old son as a shield and later pointed two weapons at officers.
Four officers fired on Bell, who died at Creighton University Medical Center.
Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said Wednesday one of Bell's weapons turned out to be a pellet gun and that the other was unloaded. Schmaderer said police couldn't know that until after Bell had been shot.
“We still have to treat that weapon as being loaded,” Schmaderer said.
A camera on a police cruiser recorded the confrontation.
Police released an image from that video showing Bell holding his son under his left arm and holding a shotgun in the other. The image was recorded at 6:15 a.m., about five minutes before Bell was shot.
Schmaderer said officers “were in peril, as they could take no action for fear of harming the 3-year-old.”
About 6:20 a.m., Bell became more agitated, Schmaderer said.
He went back into the house, put his son down inside and reappeared on the front porch, this time pointing two guns at police, the chief said. That's when officers fired “numerous” times at Bell, he said.
Bell died of multiple gunshot wounds shortly after he arrived at the hospital. His son was unharmed, having toddled out of the house after the shooting and been scooped up by an officer.
Bell at no time tried to surrender, Schmaderer said. Alcohol and drugs may have compounded his suicidal behavior, he said.
The standoff began at 4:11 a.m. with Bell holed up in the house with his girlfriend and twin 3-year-olds.