STREAM EXCLUSIVE ORIGINALS

What Really Happened During Negotiations With Korryn Gaines?

Here's what her family said to Gaines before the fatal shooting.

The killing of 23-year-old Korryn Gaines and the injuring of her son, Kodi, has resulted in many debates surrounding the legitimacy of the accounts being reported.

On August 1, Baltimore County police arrived at the residence of Korryn Gaines to issue arrest warrants to Gaines and her boyfriend, 39-year-old Kareem Kiean Courtney. The warrant for Gaines was the result of an earlier traffic incident that she recorded in March. Following the incident, she was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Courtney was set to receive a warrant that involved a domestic assault which also involved Gaines.

When police arrived on the scene, no one answered the door, yet they claim they could hear a family inside.

Moments later, Courtney left the residence with a young child, who has not yet been identified. Upon leaving, Courtney was arrested by police and was eventually released. Although Courtney left the residence, and claimed that he encouraged Gaines to do the same, Gaines remained in the apartment. When officers entered the apartment, Gaines was sitting on the floor, allegedly pointing a gun in their direction.

Next, trained negotiators as well as Gaines’s father, Ryan Gaines, who is a police dispatcher, were called to the scene in order to help convince her to peacefully surrender. Rhonda Dormeus, Gaines’s mother, talked to her daughter on a Facebook call during the standoff.

"I could hear her boyfriend telling her it wasn't worth it, to just come on out," said Dormeus. "At that time the phone went dead.”

Dormeus then went to the scene and hoped that she would be able to talk to Gaines. However, after she arrived, she was told that she was unable to speak to her daughter during the negotiations.

"I do feel like they didn't want to hurt her," Dormeus said. "But I don't feel like they exhausted all the means of negotiation."

However, Baltimore Police Chief Jim Johnson believes that the officers, who have not yet been named, acted appropriately. Johnson felt that the officers were not only concerned with their own safety, but also concerned with the safety of Gaines’s son.

Gaines recorded a video of SWAT team officers entering her home; however, that appears to be the only recording of the standoff. No bodycams were worn by the officers and the actual negotiations were not recorded.

After Gaines was killed, some of her family members came out to speak to how they feel the story is being told. Gaines’s aunt, Shannon McGee-Gaines, said in an interview that she felt that an inaccurate picture of her niece was being portrayed. When asked to elaborate, McGee-Gaines claimed that she was in no position to share details.

“She was intelligent, strong, determined, beautiful. She was a dedicated mother, an awesome friend. She was determined to enlighten people. There’s not enough accolades I can give her,” McGee-Gaines said. “There’s a lot that people don’t know.”

Latest News

Subscribe for BET Updates

Provide your email address to receive our newsletter.


By clicking Subscribe, you confirm that you have read and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. You also agree to receive marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers) and other information from BET and the Paramount family of companies. You understand that you can unsubscribe at any time.