A West Virginia prosecutor has determined that Weirton police were justified in shooting and killing a Pittsburgh man who pointed a gun at them early one morning last month.
Ronald D. Williams Jr., 23, was shot May 6. Police had been called to the home of his ex-girlfriend after they argued and he threatened to either kill himself or goad the police into killing him.
Hancock County, W.Va., prosecutor Jim Davis called a news conference Wednesday to announce that a monthlong investigation had determined the shooting was justified, just as he had said shortly after the incident.
“Nothing’s really changed,” he said. “It’s a tragic and unfortunate situation for everyone involved.”
Heather Poole, Mr. Williams’ half sister, said she and her family were incensed that Mr. Davis held a news conference to announce the results of the investigation without first telling them.
“I think it’s sad that they contacted you first and not us,” said Ms. Poole of Bellevue. ”Because obviously this is something that would be of great interest to his family.”
Mr. Davis said he intended to hold a private meeting with the family sometime later, but Ms. Poole said of that prospect: ”I’m not going to hold my breath for that.”
The investigation showed that Mr. Williams spent the three hours before he went to his ex-girlfriend’s home drinking beer and shots of liquor, Mr. Davis said. Tests later showed he had a blood-alcohol level two times the legal limit for driving. He then drove two blocks to his ex-girlfriend’s home, and the two argued sometime after 3:15 a.m.
Mr. Davis said the ex-girlfriend, Bethany Gilmer, told investigators that at one point Mr. Williams got his 9 mm handgun and told her — while they were in the room where their son was sleeping — “I’m going to kill myself in front of you and the child, and you’re going to live with this the rest of your life, and our son is going to know you caused my death.”
After she called 911 at 3:51 a.m. and police arrived, she said, Mr. Williams unloaded the gun and told her, “You know what? I’m going to make the cops do it.”
He then went outside and aimed the gun at three officers. After a confrontation that lasted less than a minute, at 3:58 a.m., he was struck in the head by a shot fired by an officer with nine years of experience.
Mr. Davis said he would not release the responding officers’ names because “it’s not... important [as evidence] at this point who they are.”
All three officers — including one with 11 months of experience and another with 14 years — were placed on paid leave and attended counseling before returning to work, said Weirton Police Chief Rob Alexander. None of the officers had ever been involved in a shooting, he said.
“It’s an unfortunate situation. It’s a highly preventable situation,” Mr. Davis said. “None of these officers signed on to have guns pointed at them that night.”
Jack Dolance, an attorney hired by Mr. Williams’ family, said the finding of a justified shooting “is pretty much what I expected.”
Sean D. Hamill: shamill@post-gazette.com or 412-263-2579 or Twitter: @SeanDHamill
First Published: June 8, 2016, 9:11 p.m.
