Ohio grand jury declines to indict police officer who shot and killed man on New Years

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Prosecutors say an Ohio grand jury has declined to file criminal charges against a Canton police officer who shot and killed a man who was firing a gun into the air minutes into the new year.

Stark County Prosecutor Kyle Stone said his office had presented grand jurors with a "wide range" of potential felony and misdemeanor charges following an investigation by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, but declined to indict in the Jan. 1 death of 46-year-old James Williams.

"I understand that this is not the outcome that some people wanted, but I want to assure this community that we presented this case in a fair and just manner," Stone said at a Wednesday afternoon news conference. He said no further action would be taken by his office.

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Williams had apparently been firing celebratory gunfire skyward at his home when the officer fired multiple rounds through a 6-foot-tall (1.8-meter-tall) fence as smoke rose into the air. Footage from the officer’s body camera showed him shouting "Get down!" after he had shot Williams, who died at a hospital.

James Williams, 46, was apparently firing celebratory shots towards the sky from a high-powered rifle before he was shot and killed by police. 

The city's police chief said on the day of the shooting that the officer feared for his safety, and the officer said in a federal court filing that he believed his conduct "was objectively reasonable" based on probable cause and/or "in self-defense of a lethal threat," as he observed Williams firing a high-powered rifle, the Canton Repository reported.

Williams' family has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the officer and the City of Canton in federal court alleging excessive force, wrongful death, deliberate indifference to medical needs, assault and battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

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Family attorneys said relatives of Williams, the father of four daughters and stepfather to two more, will review the state investigation files when they are made public. Although "saddened" that no charges will be brought, the family will continue efforts in civil court "to ensure accountability for those responsible for James’ death," they said.