The Outagamie district attorney says an Appleton police officer was justified when he shot and killed a 61-year-old man last Friday night. D.A. Carrie Schneider says she has decided not to pursue any charges against the officer, following an investigation of the incident by Green Bay Police.
The shooting occurred after police were called in on a fireworks complaint at about 9:15 p.m. Schneider says Officer Greg Pieper saw Keith Gabriel sitting outside his house with a handgun in his lap. Gabriel had reportedly been firing bottle rockets at a neighbor’s home.
The officer ordered Gabriel to drop the weapon, but the man started turning toward police and raising the gun, saying “shoot me, shoot me.”
AUDIO: DA Carrie Schneider (:16)
Gabriel was shot three times by the officer and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Schneider says they found 15 guns in Gabriel’s home and six hand guns, many of which were loaded. Officers also found a live mortar, which resulted in a bomb squad being called in to disarm the device.
Mike Kemmeter, WHBY