Use of force justified: Video shows moments before, after officer-involved shooting in East Troy



WALWORTH COUNTY -- A drug sting, a car chase, and a young man from Milwaukee dead. On July 19th, after an officer-involved shooting in East Troy on February 24th, Walworth County District Attorney Dan Necci announced no charges will be filed against the Walworth County Sheriff's deputy who fired his weapon in the case. Because the investigation has been completed, officials with the Wisconsin Department of Justice have released hours worth of audio and video from the incident.

Video shows the moments before and after the deadly shooting in the parking lot of the Roma's Restaurant in East Troy.

Christopher Davis



21-year-old Christopher Davis of Milwaukee was shot by Walworth County Sheriff's deputy Juan Ortiz. He later died at the hospital.

The newly-released audio and video shows the chain of events leading up to that shooting -- beginning with a routine call for domestic abuse.

East Troy Police Officer Jeffrey Price told investigators he was able to almost instantly flip a suspect with drug paraphernalia -- turning him into a confidential informant.

"If he wanted to cooperate with me and the Drug Unit, he could work off charges for the drugs. Most of his dealers came out of Milwaukee," Price said.

Within just hours, they called Walworth County Deputy Juan Ortiz to help with a drug bust.

"It started with a request over the radio from dispatch saying 'could you meet the Village of East Troy Police Department at their PD,'" Ortiz said.

After busting a suspected marijuana dealer, a group of officers made their way to Roma's -- to pick up a suspected cocaine dealer.

When East Troy officers approached with guns, Deputy Ortiz told investigators a car came right at him.

"I could hear the engine rev extremely loud, and I had never been in a position until that moment -- until a vehicle was speeding towards me and I was in legitimate fear for my life because I had nowhere to go," Ortiz said.

The car missed -- while Ortiz's gun did not.

Roma's Restaurant East Troy



Pursuit after officer-involved shooting in East Troy in Walworth County on February 24th



As the suspect vehicle led officers on a high-speed chase up I-43 for 20 miles, Davis was dying in the passenger seat.

Eventually, officers were able to force the vehicle to crash in Muskego in Waukesha County.

Davis died at the hospital.

Davis' family's attorney said they don't believe Davis should have been killed.

Crash in Muskego after officer-involved shooting in Walworth County, pursuit



Charges have been filed against the driver of the suspect vehicle in this case -- 31-year-old Jose Lara. He has been charged with conspiracy to commit manufacture/delivery of cocaine (greater than five to 15 grams) and attempting to flee or elude a traffic officer. Charges were filed on May 12th.

Jose Lara



Lara has pleaded not guilty, and has a status conference scheduled for September 9th.

A criminal complaint filed against Lara indicates during the investigation into the officer-involved shooting, a confidential informant was interviewed regarding a controlled purchase of controlled substances in East Troy.

The CI apparently made contact with a man and arranged to purchase four "eight balls" of cocaine in East Troy.

The complaint states that the CI learned the man was at the Roma's Restaurant in East Troy, and as the CI and other officers arrived at Roma's, the CI reported seeing a Town of East Troy police officer with his service weapon drawn -- pointed at a dark sedan. The dark sedan was then seen squealing its tires and driving at a high rate of speed directly at Walworth County Sheriff's deputy Juan Ortiz -- who also had his weapon drawn and was giving verbal commands.

The complaint states that when Lara was interviewed, he told investigators he had been contacted by a man who indicated he needed half-an-ounce of cocaine to deliver to "a guy." Lara said he contacted his supplier and delivered a half-ounce of cocaine to the man. Lara said he then agreed to drive the man to the location where he was to sell the cocaine -- the Roma's Restaurant parking lot.

Lara said when confronted by officers, he drove away rapidly and fled onto I-43.

Lara admitted to investigators he threw cocaine out the window of the vehicle while he was fleeing, according to the complaint.

Lara was arrested by Ortiz, who used a Taser after authorities say he bailed after the crash in Muskego.

Of the hours of audio and video released Tuesday, there wasn't anything released that shows the actual shooting. FOX6 News have asked Wisconsin DOJ officials why that is. We're told they'll get back to us Wednesday.

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