A white Milwaukee police officer who was fired after he fatally shot a mentally ill black man in April won't face criminal charges, the county's top prosecutor said on Monday.
Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm said Christopher Manney won't be charged because he shot Dontre Hamilton in self-defence.
Manney is at least the third white police officer to not be charged in the past month after a confrontation that led to a black man's death.
"This was a tragic incident for the Hamilton family and for the community," Chisholm said in a statement.
"But, based on all the evidence and analysis presented in this report, I come to the conclusion that Officer Manney's use of force in this incident was justified self-defence and that defence cannot be reasonably overcome to establish a basis to charge Officer Manney with a crime."
The Hamilton family released a statement through their lawyer saying they were "extremely disappointed" with the decision and that the case "cries out for justice, criminal charges against Christopher Manney, and accountability to Dontre Hamilton's family."
Manney shot 31-year-old Hamilton on April 30 after responding to a call for a welfare check on a man sleeping in a downtown park.
Manney said Hamilton resisted when he tried to frisk him.
The two exchanged punches before Hamilton got a hold of Manney's baton and hit him on the neck with it, the former officer has said - Manney then opened fire.
Several witnesses told police they saw Hamilton holding Manney's baton "in an aggressive posture" before Manney shot him, according to Chisholm's news release.
Chisholm consulted with two experts on the use of force by police officers, and both concluded Manney's conduct was justified.
Hamilton's family said he suffered from schizophrenia and had recently stopped taking his medication.
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