No Formal Charges For Appleton Officer
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APPLETON, Wis.-- No formal charges were filed this morning for the Appleton Police Officer who shot and killed man over the weekend.
District Attorney Carrie Schneider said Thursday Sgt. Greg Pieper shot and killed 61-year-old Keith Gabriel after he refused to follow the officer's orders to drop his gun.
“This was a justified shooting under the training techniques and use of force as it was determined,” said Schneider.
Schneider says Gabriel had a Colt .45 handgun in his hand and started turning toward Pieper when he was shot three times last Friday.
“Officers are not trained to shoot the gun out of someone's hand, or to shoot a person in the knee,” said Schneider. “They're trained to end that threat.”
The officer was responding to a report of illegal fireworks when he encountered Gabriel. The residence had been “flagged” by police because Gabriel had made previous threats to city employees. After a further investigation, police found more than a dozen weapons and a live mortar in Gabriel’s home.
“I don’t even know what to say about it. So close to it,” said Niki Green, a neighbor. “It's just crazy.”
The Green Bay Police Department conducted the investigation into what happened. Sgt. Pieper is on paid administrative leave until a complete review is finalized.
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