Judge: 911 caller in Ohio Walmart police shooting may be charged

FAIRBORN, Ohio (AP) — A judge says there’s probable cause for a misdemeanor prosecution against a 911 caller who reported a man carrying a gun in an Ohio Walmart before police fatally shot the man, who actually had an air rifle picked up from a shelf.

The Dayton Daily News reports Fairborn Municipal Court Judge Beth Root found probable cause on a possible charge of making false alarms.

Fairborn Municipal Court Judge Beth Root ruled probable cause exists to prosecute the 911 caller in the John Crawford III police-involved fatal shooting after reviewing affidavits submitted by Greene County residents. Jude Root wrote that the case should be referred to the prosecutor.

The newspaper reports there is uncertainty about the next legal steps.