Shooting by Walworth County deputy ruled appropriate
ELKHORN — The May 5 fatal law-enforcement shooting of a town of Lyons man was justified based on self-defense and the defense of others, Walworth County District Attorney Phillip Koss said Monday.
Deputy Wayne Blanchard will be restored to full duty, said Walworth County Sheriff David Graves. He was placed on administrative duty following the shooting.
Blanchard and another deputy, Chris Such, were dispatched to the mobile home of John W. Brown, 22, of 1463 Meadow Lane after Brown's mother reported her son was suicidal, officials said.
Brown approached the two deputies with a knife, according to reports compiled during an investigation of the shooting by the state Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation. Blanchard fired two shots, killing Brown.
"I believe there was no other reasonable conclusion other than Deputy Blanchard was attempting to prevent himself or Deputy Such from being attacked with deadly force," Koss said in a letter Monday to the Division of Criminal Investigation.
No inquest into the shooting is needed, Koss said.
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