LMPD officer resigns after fatal shooting of naked, unarmed man (original) (raw)

June 8, 2026, 5:01 p.m. ET

The Louisville Metro Police officer who shot and killed a naked and unarmed man in Louisville's Klondike neighborhood May 30 has resigned from the department "effective immediately," according to a June 8 statement from LMPD.

According to a release from LMPD, Chief Paul Humphrey accepted Nathan Stotts' resignation less than one week after announcing he would initiate the process to fire Stotts during a June 2 news conference where body camera footage of the shooting was released. During the conference, Humphrey said Stotts' shooting of Martin Nitzken Jr., 27, who was naked and unarmed, went against company values and training.

"This resignation does not halt the termination process; rather, it expedites it by eliminating procedural delays associated with a potential appeal, ensuring that Mr. Stotts is immediately and permanently separated from LMPD," the statement reads. "His personnel record will reflect that he resigned while in the process of being terminated. "

According to the release, LMPD will continue investigating Stotts and provide any findings to the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council to determine whether his certificate will be revoked. The Commonwealth's Attorney's Office is also reviewing the case for potential criminal charges.

This story may be updated to include additional information.