Prosecutors say no charges will be filed against a Jackson County sheriff’s deputy who fatally shot a man in October.
The Jackson County District Attorney’s Office said Wednesday that Deputy Justin Wathke reasonably acted in self-defense.
Authorities say Wathke was responding to a call about a domestic incident and tried to pull over 27-year-old Lucas DeFord. The suspect kept going and drove to the home of the victim near Black River Falls.
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Investigators say DeFord ran to the deputy’s squad car window and pointed a gun at Wathke’s head. Wathke fired two shots at DeFord through his driver’s side window.
DeFord died at the scene. Authorities say DeFord was holding a black gun that looked like a semi-automatic handgun, but it turned out to be a pellet or BB gun.
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