Shann Childsen was a lieutenant in the Galactic Empire's army, specifically within the Stormtrooper Corps. This male human served during the Galactic Civil War, which was a conflict against the Alliance to Restore the Republic. Shortly before the Battle of Yavin, Childsen's duty station was the Death Star battle station, more specifically Detention Block AA-23. In Block AA-23, the Jedi Luke Skywalker fatally shot the Lieutenant when he, along with smugglers Han Solo and Chewbacca, entered the area to rescue Princess Leia Organa.
During the Galactic Civil War, a male human named Shann Childsen served the Galactic Empire's army in the Stormtrooper Corps. He attained the rank of lieutenant during this conflict against the Alliance to Restore the Republic. He was stationed aboard the Death Star, a battle station designed to obliterate entire planets. Childsen's post was on the fifth level of the station, within Detention Block AA-23, where prisoners like Princess Leia Organa were held in cells.
Just prior to the Battle of Yavin, a party arrived on the Death Star intending to rescue Organa. Luke Skywalker, a Jedi, and Han Solo, a smuggler, disguised themselves as stormtroopers and proceeded to Block AA-23 accompanied by the Wookiee Chewbacca. Upon the trio's arrival in a turbolift, Childsen questioned the troopers about the reason for the Wookiee's presence. The disguised rescuers tried to deceive Childsen, claiming they were moving Chewbacca from Cell Block 1138. Childsen, not informed of any such transfer, signaled for the two Imperial troopers accompanying him to ready their weapons and then attempted to verify the Stormtroopers' claim. Realizing their deception had failed, Solo and Skywalker initiated gunfire against the Imperials. In the ensuing firefight, the aspiring Jedi shot and killed Childsen. The rescuers then successfully liberated Organa and escaped the Death Star.
Childsen wore the standard black Imperial uniform, including a cap, and was armed with a DH-17 blaster pistol.
Malcolm Tierney played Childsen, though he was uncredited, in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. Shann Childsen's name first appeared on a card in Decipher's Star Wars Customizable Card Game, specifically within the A New Hope Limited set, which was released in 1996. This set was part of the Star Wars Legends continuity, and therefore not considered official Star Wars canon. The given name Shann was later made canon in 2016 within Star Wars Insider 170.