THIENSVILLE, Wis. — Former Thiensville Police Officer Richard McCormick will not face criminal charges after shooting and killing a stray dog and injuring another in Mequon in April. Instead, he faces a citation.
The Ozaukee County District Attorney's Office announced the decision in a memo Wednesday.
The incident happened around 3:40 a.m. on April 23, when McCormick responded to the area of Cedarburg and Green Bay roads in Mequon for a report of two unattended dogs.
Investigators say McCormick exited his vehicle after encountering the two stray dogs, telling investigators he intended to see if the dogs would jump into the back of his squad car in an effort to contain them.
Both dogs then moved toward him, causing him to back away and aim his gun at them before firing two rounds, which caused the dogs to back away. One of the dogs collapsed to the ground, where investigators say McCormick then continued to fire.
Police records show 16 shots were fired in total.
The incident was captured on body camera video and raised questions from animal advocates and the Mequon Police Department, who requested a criminal investigation into the shooting over whether it was justified.
The shooting also led to McCormick's resignation before the investigation was complete.
In the memo, Ozaukee County District Attorney Benjamin Lindsay said prosecutors would "have to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant did not act lawfully in self-defense to protect himself from bodily harm."
The citation carries a fine of up to $500.
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