Dash Cam Video Now Included:
Update: Dash cam video from a Decatur police car shows Officer Andrew Wittmer ordering Lonnie Mitchell to stop. The officer says he was clearly able to see a gun in Mitchell’s waistband. Mitchell was not wearing a shirt.
Officer Wittmer’s commands to Mitchell, as well as most of Mitchell’s verbal statements, can be heard on the dashboard camera.
Officer Wittmer, as he was trained, drew his service weapon and ordered Mitchell to put his hands on top of his head and interlock his fingers. Mitchell told the officer he had a gun and a knife. Mitchell later dropped the knife but the gun remained in his waistband.
“Leave your hands up, don’t go for that, or you’ll get shot man,” Wittmer stated as he instructed Mitchell to lay down on the ground. Mitchell refused to do so.
On the audio recording people in the neighborhood can be heard telling Mitchell to comply with the officer’s directives.
Wittmer and another officer witnessed Mitchell move his right hand and believed he was going for his gun. Officer Wittmer fired one shot and officers at the scene immediately requested an ambulance. Mitchell survived his injuries.
It was later determined the Mitchell had a BB gun which had the appearance of a real gun. In addition, Mitchell referred to the BB gun as a pistol three different times. Witnesses at the scene also believed Mitchell was in possession of a firearm.
Officer Wittmer will now be allowed to return to regular duty.
-Doug Wolfe / WAND TV News - NBC
BREAKING: Macon County State's Attorney rules Decatur officer involved shooting justified.
The investigation showed the Decatur Police officer who fired shots injuring a Decatur man on July 11th was justified.
Also, The States Attorney told WAND News they will not prosecute Lonnie Mitchell, the man police say was resisting arrest.
The Illinois State Police concluded their investigation on August 16th and handed it over to the Macon County State's Attorney for review.
Decatur police say an officer shot a man who was believed to have had a gun in the area of East Main and Hilton during the early morning hours of July 11.
More details to come on this latest development.
