PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - South Dakota’s attorney general says a Box Elder police officer was justified in using deadly force in a fatal shooting earlier this month.
Marty Jackley and the Division of Criminal Investigation released results Wednesday of an investigation into the officer-involved shooting of 44-year-old Jason Wayne Traversie of Box Elder.
Traversie was shot May 2 after officers responded to a domestic violence incident at a mobile home.
According to the report, Traversie tried to go back inside the home, grabbed an ax handle and allowed two dogs to charge the officers.
The report says Traversie came at Officer John Cargill with the ax handle and refused Cargill’s commands to drop it. Cargill fired three times, striking Traversie twice and killing him.
Cargill was placed on standard administrative leave after the shooting.
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