The incident happened in 2004 when William Henderson was seen by a passerby walking with a chain and a pocket knife talking to himself. Nine police officers arrived on the scene and followed Henderson for about the length of a football field, shouting at him to drop the knife. Henderson ignored them and walked away from the officers toward his house spouting insults and claiming that he was “invisible” and could not be seen.

While he was walking away an officer shot him with a shotgun beanbag. Henderson rose again, still holding the pocket knife with his back to police officers, according to court testimony. A few minutes later, after ignoring shouts to drop the pocket knife police opened fire on him, knocking him against a fence. According to court testimony Henderson fell on a fence which spring boarded him back up. When he sprung up police shot him with another volley of shots. According to court testimony a total of 29 shots were fired at Henderson, 17 hit him and at least four of the 17 were in the back. According to court witnesses Henderson never lunged at or attacked police but might have appeared to be lunging when he was spring boarded off the fence. Henderson’s children claimed that firing 29 shots at their father was excessive. Judge Leehy ruled that the police officer’s actions were not unreasonable.