Newly released body camera video shows the aftermath of a shooting that had a Appleton, Wisconsin police officer in a fight for her life when she was attacked by a suspect last month.
Officer Stephanie Wiener was shot in the hip with her own gun on May 28 after theft suspect Marcus D. Felton wrestled it away from her before he shot Good Samaritan Andrew Maltbey and then fatally shot himself, according to The Post-Crescent.
Wiener was attacked by 23-year-old Felton in the 900 block of South Kensington Drive after she attempted to stop him while he was walking on the sidewalk on the suspicion of stealing cigarettes from two nearby convenience stores.
The man didn't comply with her emergency lights or commands given using her patrol car's public address system.
Felton came toward Wiener, getting within 10 to 12 feet and causing her to get out of her cruiser and draw her gun. Officials said that the suspect began shadowboxing in the street, motioning for Wiener to come closer to him. She then fired her Taser at him, but only one of the two probes hit him and was not effective. She also attempted to kick him as he got closed, but he was able to grab her gun.
Appleton Police Chief Todd Thomas said Wiener was in a fight for her life as the two fought over control of her handgun.
"They fought with each other trying to point the barrel of the gun at the other person," he said. "Officer Wiener said she knew if he got her gun, he was going to kill her, so she was trying to point the barrel of the gun at his neck or head and shoot him, while he was trying to do the same thing to her."
Maltbey pulled up as the struggle was occuring and tried to pull Felton off of Wiener but was unable to. When Wiener lost her gun, she attempted to run for cover, but was shot by Felton, who also shot Maltbey as he ran for cover.
Wiener's body camera wasn't activated, but police released video from a body camera worn by Officer Dale Knauer, who was on his way to assist her when the shooting occurred.
The Green Bay Police Department conducted a review into the incident and found that Wiener acted appropriately in trying to defend herself. The findings were reviewed by Outagamie County District Attorney Carrie Schneider, who found no wrongdoing on the part of the officer.
