Wisconsin Cops Lied About Shooting of Suicidal Man, Gun Not Found

The Eau Claire Police Chief now says the man hurt in an officer-involved shooting last week was not carrying a weapon; this latest revelation contradicts initial reports from Eau Clair PD stating that the shooting officer was in fear for his life due to a gun being pointed at him or a gun present during the confrontation.

On Wednesday, the department says officer D. Hunter Braatz shot Tyler Holte after chasing him near Starr Avenue in Eau Claire. Holte went to the hospital with injuries. Braatz was not hurt.

It all started Wednesday when police went to check on him after a report that he was suicidal. Police responded and found out he was fighting with two females in the area.

Officers say he stole a car from one of them and led them on a chase. They found the car abandoned at the VFW on Starr Avenue and found him hiding in the woods. That’s when police say there was a confrontation and officer Braatz shot and wounded Holte.

Now an independent state agency is investigating the case. Chief Staniszewski says he wants the community to know his department is transparent and working with DCI as they sort out what happened.

“These things happen. Rest assured the Eau Claire Police Department is trained to handle it. We know how to handle these incidents. We’re very transparent and we want to provide the information about what happened. People in the community can have confidence and trust in our organization and we are going to deal with these and deal with them appropriately,” says Staniszewski.

The police chief says the investigation will continue for another several weeks. It will then go to the District Attorney’s office.

—————————-

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (EAU CLAIRE POLICE DEPARTMENT NEWS RELEASE) —

The Wisconsin Department of Justice – Division of Criminal Investigation is continuing its investigation of the officer-involved shooting that occurred in the City of Eau Claire on April 1, 2015. Upon completion of the investigation, it will be reviewed by the Eau Claire County District Attorney’s Office. The Eau Claire Police Department would like to offer the following updated information regarding the investigation:

On Tuesday, March 31, 2015, the day before the officer-involved shooting, a member of Tyler Holte’s family called the Eau Claire Police Department and requested that a police officer check the welfare of Mr. Holte. He was reported to be under the influence of a controlled substance and suicidal, making statements that he wanted to end his life. The police department was also made aware of a felony arrest warrant for Mr. Holte from the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. The family member reported that Mr. Holte stated he would not go back to jail and that the police department would have to shoot him. Police officers were not able to locate Mr. Holte on that day; however, the caution and arrest warrant information was forwarded to Eau Claire Police Officers throughout the next day.

On Wednesday, April 1, 2015, at approximately 3:00 p.m., the same family member reported that Mr. Holte was in the 1300 block of Western Avenue. She requested the police department make contact with him and take him into custody for the arrest warrant. Mr. Holte again made comments that he would not cooperate with police officers and would not let them arrest him. He stated he was not going back to jail and that they would have to shoot him. Unknown to the police officers at the time, another witness on Western Avenue quoted Mr. Holte as saying he would act like he had a gun.

While police officers were responding to the area of Western Avenue, the police department received additional reports of a physical disturbance occurring in the same area. It was later learned that two females associated with Mr. Holte were involved in a physical altercation. Mr. Holte stole a vehicle from one of the females and fled the area.

Responding police officers observed Mr. Holte driving away from the area at a high rate of speed. He did not stop when officers activated their squad car emergency lights. The pursuit of the vehicle was discontinued because of the high speeds and the danger it presented to the public. A short time later, the stolen vehicle was located abandoned in the VFW parking lot, 1300 Starr Avenue, Eau Claire.

Police officers located Mr. Holte hiding in the wooded area northwest of the VFW building. A confrontation occurred which resulted in Eau Claire Police Officer Hunter Braatz shooting and wounding Mr. Holte. Police officers at the scene then began life saving efforts and provided first aid to him. A tourniquet and a blood clotting agent were applied to the wound which stabilized Mr. Holte.

It has been determined that Mr. Holte did not have a gun or other weapon in his possession at the time of the shooting. Details about the confrontation with Mr. Holte and what led to the shooting will be released after the investigation has been completed by the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation and reviewed by the Eau Claire County District Attorney’s Office.

The Eau Claire Police Department appreciates the patience of the community as a complete and thorough investigation is conducted. When something like this happens it is a concern for the whole community. We are asking that no one rush to judgment without all of the facts of the case. The independent investigation will reveal the circumstances surrounding the shooting incident and it will be made public.

We have met with the family of Mr. Holte to offer them support and to make sure they get the help they need to deal with this tragic incident. We support Officer Braatz because we understand the difficulties associated with making a decision such as this. He is a conscientious and dedicated officer who has served this community with pride for over 10 years. Officer Braatz will remain on an administrative assignment until the investigation is complete.

Gerald Staniszewski
Chief of Police
Eau Claire Police Department

—————————-

UPDATE: We mistakenly ran this article with an inaccurate headline stating that Tyler Holte had been killed by police. This mistake has been corrected.