An 86-year-old man was killed by Mequon police after exiting a home and firing shots, police say
An 86-year-old man was killed by a Mequon police officer Wednesday afternoon after exiting a residence and firing shots at officers, the department said in a statement.
Mequon Police Department officers were dispatched to a residence in the 3100 block of Bonniwell Road around 3:30 p.m. for a neighbor dispute involving a firearm, police said.
Online court records show that Ozaukee County prosecutors on Wednesday brought charges against 86-year-old Pietro Lalicata of Mequon. An arrest warrant was obtained and issued for him on Wednesday at the same address of the fatal shooting.
On May 17, Lalicata was charged with second degree recklessly endangering safety, disorderly conduct and failing to comply with officer's attempt to take him into custody.
Court records indicate that, following Lalicata's death, prosecutors plan to dismiss the case.
According to the criminal complaint:
A neighbor was mowing his lawn when he noticed his neighbor, Lalicata, standing on his porch holding a gun and yelling at him. The neighbor heard a gun shot and believed that Lalicata was shooting at him.
The neighbor called police and told them that Lalicata had run into the home. Police attempted to make contact with him, but his phone went straight to voicemail. Lalicata refused to come out of the house when instructed to. His family members told police that he had approximately 30 guns inside the home.
According to police, Lalicata barricaded himself into a residence and later left the home while firing toward officers, who shot back, striking him.
Officers attempted to render aid, however Lalicata died at the scene, according to the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation.
No officers or members of the public were injured in the incident.
The involved officer from the Mequon Police Department has been placed on administrative assignment, per department policy.
DCI will lead the investigation since the shooting involved an officer, assisted by the Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin State Crime Lab and a DCI Crime Response Specialist.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Man killed by Mequon officers after exiting a home and firing shots
