MEQUON, Wis. — There will be no criminal charges for officers who returned fire, killing a Mequon man who shot at police in May.
The deadly incident started after police say 86-year-old Pietro La Licata shot at a neighbor who was mowing the lawn on May 17 in Mequon. La Licata barricaded himself inside his home before he opened the door and shot at police.
Police records obtained by TMJ4 show police had been called to La Licata’s home dozens of times over the years — including two times the month before he was shot and killed.
911 dispatch audio from May 17 shows the Mequon Police Department knew La Licata had mental and cognitive issues and that he had a lot of guns in his home.
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"Ozaukee units responding to Bonniwell, suspect will be at 3119 West Bonniwell Road,” the dispatcher told a responding officer. “Going to be a Pietro. Has a flag, per your department, for '10-96' (mental) issues, multiple '32's' (guns) in the residence and cognitive issues."
That afternoon, police surrounded La Licata’s home until he opened the door with a gun and started firing rounds toward officers.
An open records request shows that was not the first time police were called to his home, but rather the 27th time.
Police documents show it started with domestic violence-related calls in the 1980s and ‘90s where physical and mental abuse was alleged.
According to police reports, a woman told police she feared for her life after La Licata allegedly threatened to “rip her heart out.”
La Licata was convicted of misdemeanor battery in the early 1990s.
Flash forward decades later and La Licata was the one who called the police in mid-April, one month before he was killed. He thought a neighbor was messing with his security cameras and screen door.
Police records show a neighbor told an investigator she believed La Licata "has dementia and worries what he could do to them since they never go onto his property."
Adult Protective Services came out the next day and told police La Licata “had guns everywhere.”
Police found more than 30 guns in the house the day he died.
Ozaukee County District Attorney Adam Gerol issued his decision on July 11 to not criminally charge the involved officers.
Read Tuesday's statement below:
Recently, Ozaukee County District Attorney Adam Gerol issued his decision [lnks.gd] regarding the death of Pietro La Licata, which occurred on May 17, 2023 in the City of Mequon, Wis. The district attorney determined there will be no criminal charges for involved law enforcement.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation investigative files, along with digital photo, video, and audio records, can be viewed here [lnks.gd].
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