Body camera footage from a deadly officer-involved shooting has been released, giving insight into how an Appleton, Wisconsin firefighter was slain while attempting to provide care.
Last month, Appleton firefighter Mitch Lundgaard was fatally shot by 47-year-old Ruben Houston, who was being treated by medical personnel after he was found unresponsive on a bus and believed to have suffered an overdose.
Travis Yates, Director of Training at Law Officer and Lead Trainer of Seconds For Survival, says that this incident shows the paramount importance of reading pre-attack indicators.
“The officers do a great job of seeing the indicators of a weapon and combined with the suspect’s body language and arguing, it was clear that an attack was imminent,” Yates told us.
Given Narcan and taken off the bus, Houston was not checked for possible weapons prior to treatment and refused to be patted down by officers once he was conscious.
According to WISN, Houston told the firefighters he took four of his wife’s morphine pills for knee pain he was experiencing.
Police officers also responded to the scene and attempted to get Houston to accept medical treatment.
Houston became agitated and pulled a .380-semi-automatic handgun.
He fired two shots, which hit Lundgaard and another officer.
Lundgaard was shot in the back, fatally wounding him.
The officer survived.
Other officers at the scene then returned fire as Houston took a woman hostage.
The suspect used the woman as a human shield as he fired at police.
Houston was shot several times and later died at a hospital.
The woman taken hostage was also shot in the head, but survived.
At the time of the shooting, Houston was free on bond pending drug charges in Fond du Lac County.
Lundgaard, 36, was the first Appleton firefighter in 86 years to die in the line of duty.
A total of 24 shots were fired during the 30-second exchange and Houston later succumbed to his wounds at a nearby hospital.
According to the Post Crescent, Outagamie County District Attorney Melinda Tempelis made an announcement on Thursday stating that the officers’ use of deadly force was justified.
Watch The Full Video Including The Narcan Usage Here:
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