Prosecutor: No charges will be filed against Wyoming officers in fatal shooting of man
The Hamilton County prosecutor says no charges will be filed against the Wyoming police officers who shot a man while responding to a burglary call Monday.
The shooting took place when police responded to a report of a burglary at an apartment building on Durrell Avenue.
Joseph Frasure Jr. was there with his family cleaning out his grandmother's apartment when a neighbor called 911 to report suspicious activity.
Prosecutor Melissa Powers states that two men were standing in the back of an apartment building, later identified as Joe Frasure Jr. and his father Joe Frasure Sr.
Frasure Sr. was standing on the driveway near a grey minivan and Frasure Jr. was behind the wheel of the minivan when Powers said officers were giving commands to exit the vehicle and get on the ground.
Powers said both Frasure Sr. and Frasure Jr. did not comply.
Powers and police officials said Frasure Jr. was attempting to get away when his vehicle crashed into a tree and then accelerated toward officers.
Police said that's when officers fired shots at him and the vehicle.
“The officers fired four shots at the minivan as the minivan was accelerating towards them,” the Wyoming police chief said in a video statement.
Frasure Jr. died Tuesday after being taken off life support at UC Medical Center. His cause of death was listed as "police involved shooting" on Wednesday morning's coroner's report.
The three officers involved in the incident are on paid administrative leave. Wyoming's police chief said it's been decades since one of their officers has been involved in a shooting.
(See body camera footage in video player below)
Friends and family said Frasure Jr. was at the property to clear out the apartment rented by his grandmother, who had recently died.
There is also new information that gives some possible context as to why Frasure didn’t want to have an encounter with the police.
On Dec. 21, 2022, investigators said Frasure triggered an alert as he used an identification at Turfway Casino. Frasure left Florence but was spotted by Covington police, who attempted to pull him over on Madison. Police said Frasure sped through Covington and Latonia until he hit Interstate 275. Reports from other agencies said Frasure was hitting speeds at 100 mph. Covington officers cut off the pursuit.
The alert was issued because Frasure had multiple warrants for his arrest. One of them was out of Dearborn County, Indiana, on a parole violation related to a battery charge.
"I know that no police officer ever wants to discharge their service weapon in the line of duty," Hamilton County Prosecutor Melissa Powers said. "I am thankful for the thorough and timely investigation completed by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office. Any loss of life is tragic and our thoughts are with the Wyoming Police Officers who will forever live with this in their memories, their families and our community, as well as the Frasure family."