By Jalen Maki
Tomahawk Leader Editor
LINCOLN COUNTY – The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Friday, Jan. 28 that no charges will be filed against law enforcement personnel who were involved in a fatal shooting in the Town of Pine River late last year.
The decision not to file charges came from Lincoln County District Attorney Galen Bayne-Allison.
According to DOJ, on Dec. 10, 2021, at approximately 6:33 a.m., the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call for a subject with a knife in a residence on Shady Lane Ave. in the Town of Pine River. Upon entering the residence, law enforcement encountered John Z.A. Moua, 28, armed with a knife, DOJ said.
DOJ said that upon entering the residence, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Tyler Iverson “discharged his firearm, striking Moua.”
“Law enforcement administered lifesaving efforts, as did EMS upon arrival, but Moua succumbed to his injuries on scene,” DOJ stated.
No law enforcement personnel were injured during the incident.
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office personnel who were involved in the incident were placed on administrative assignment, per department policy, according to DOJ.
In a legal decision written and digitally signed by Bayne-Allison, the District Attorney said Iverson fatally shot Moua in order to protect an individual, whose name had been redacted, “from death or great bodily harm.” According to the decision, Moua had raised a knife to the individual’s face before Iverson fired his weapon three times, fatally striking Moua.
Bayne-Allison said Moua’s life had been “dramatically altered” by the use of a substance, the name of which had been redacted, adding that he did not believe Moua “would have engaged in the course of conduct that ultimately resulted in his death” if he had not been under the influence of the substance.
“Moua’s death is tragic but Iverson acted lawfully and in accordance with his duty as a law enforcement officer,” Bayne-Allison stated in concluding the decision.