APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) – No criminal charges will be pursued against two New London police officers who shot and killed a man August 19.
Outagamie County District Attorney Carrie Schneider made the announcement in a news conference Friday morning.
Investigators say officers Ryan Denu and Brody Erickson shot and killed 31-year-old Kole Knight.
Schneider says the officers recognized Knight form a statewide alert indicating there was a warrant for his arrest. When they confronted Knight, he pulled something from his waistband and the officers, fearing that their lives were in danger, immediately began shooting at Knight.
In six seconds, 17 rounds were fired. The coroner’s office determined that shots to Knight’s head and chest cavity were fatal; he was hit four other times.
Investigation revealed that the gun Knight pointed at officers was a toy; however, the orange tip indicating it was a toy had been cut off. The gun belonged to a friend of Knight’s; she told investigators that he had made statements indicating he wanted to end his life.
Denu and Erickson remain on administrative leave as an internal investigation continues, that’s according to New London police chief Jeffrey Schlueter.
The officers are also being provided with counseling.
