( Butler County ) - A grand jury has chosen to not indict a sheriff's deputy who fatally shot a man earlier this month.
A statement from the prosecutor, Michael Gmoser, says the actions of Jacob Faulkner on June 20 "required the immediate response of a Butler County Deputy Sheriff." He says Faulkner had shot at a passing train in St Clair Twp, and the deputy who arrived on scene repeatedly told him to drop his weapon. Faulkner allegedly refused, and started to approach the deputy. After more verbal commands to stop and surrender, Faulkner allegedly put his shotgun in firing position, and that's when he was shot three times by the deputy.
Gmoser says presenting such a case to a grand jury is standard procedure in his office. He says the case is regrettable, and it underscores other significant issues since Faulkner was a veteran who was "deeply troubled from his military service." He says Faulkner "intended his life to end by the hand of another," and he hopes this case makes the public more aware of mental health problems soldiers face once they return home.