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DA Clears CMPD Officer In March 8th Shooting Death

Mecklenburg County District Attorney's Office

A CMPD officer will not face criminal charges in the fatal shooting of a man whom authorities say pointed a rifle at police. Mecklenburg County District Attorney Andrew Murray concluded officer Brian Walsh was justified in shooting 25-year old Iaroslav Mosiiuk on March 8th.

"It is clear from the accounts of people close to Mosiiuk and from the behavior that led to his death that the decedent was suffering from a severe mental breakdown at the time of his death," Murray writes in a report to CMPD Chief Kerr Putney.

Officers had responded to the north Charlotte home after Mosiiuk's sister called 911 to report that her brother was suicidal.  It turned out that Mosiiuk's rifle was inoperable, but Murray says Walsh and fellow officer Michael Dezenzo didn't know that.

"There is no evidence that he or anyone else knew for certain whether the gun was operable. It was reasonable for Officer Walsh to believe the gun was operable, loaded and capable of causing death. The entire confrontation lasted mere seconds – most of which was during the time officers Walsh and Dezenzo were running away from Mosiiuk in fear."

CMPD is still conducting an internal investigation into the shooting.

District Attorney's Investigation Report