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Officer who fired shots at man cleared
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
A city police officer who fired four rounds at a South Side man Oct. 1 has been cleared after an investigation.
The man was pointing a gun at the officer.
The police department’s Internal Affairs Division said officer Matthew Willis did not violate any departmental regulations when he fired his weapon at 31-year-old William Bright, mainly because Willis thought his life was in danger.
Willis was placed on paid leave for a few days after the shooting but then returned to duty. He has since been injured, suffering a leg injury during a foot pursuit on the South Side several days after he returned to duty and is on medical leave.
The department’s policy on the use of deadly force states that officers are allowed to use deadly force if they believe their life or the life of another is in danger of death or serious harm, or if allowing a person to escape would result in the death or serious physical harm of another person.
The IAD’s shooting team, made up of officers who investigate incidents when an officer discharges their weapon, conducted the investigation.
Willis, who was working the downtown beat that day, and another officer were dispatched to 1126 Park Hill Ave. about 8:45 a.m. Oct. 1 for an “unknown trouble” call. Police had said that Bright called 911, said he needed an officer at his home then hung up before dispatchers could get more information.
Willis told investigators when he arrived, Bright told him his family was inside and wanted to kill him. Willis asked if Bright had any weapons and said no, but when he stood up he pulled out a pistol and pointed it at Willis.
Bright then ran into his home as Willis fired the four rounds, striking a storm door but never hitting Bright. Several more officers came to the home and surrounded it and Bright surrendered without incident a short time later.
When he was interviewed by investigators, Bright said he pointed his gun at Willis because he wanted to “control” the officer, so that Willis would listen to him. When police got inside the house they found evidence of gunfire inside and Bright admitted firing several rounds inside his own home before police arrived.
Bright is in the Mahoning County jail on charges of carrying concealed weapons, being a felon in possession of a firearm and felonious assault.