A Butler County Grand Jury has declined to issue an indictment in the January standoff that ended with an armed man being shot four times by an officer.
On January 11, the Butler County Regional SWAT team responded to a 911 call from a resident living in the 6800 block of Yoakum Court at Lakota Pointe Townhomes near Liberty Junior High School.
The caller said someone she knew broke through her front door and had a pistol.
By the time SWAT arrived, the caller was able to get out of the apartment. The man who broke in, Junius Thomas III, 31, was still inside, according to officials.
SWAT set up a perimeter around the apartment and called Thomas to negotiate.
According to police, Thomas was told to disarm himself and surrender but he refused.
Butler County Prosecutor Michael Gmoser released a information Thursday afternoon stating that Thomas became increasingly agitated as the standoff progressed and was occasionally seen in the front door with an unholstered pistol.
Thomas initially made no threatening attempt to unholster the firearm during the negotiations, Gmoser added in his statement.
The standoff lasted for several hours, according to Gmoser, and eventually, Thomas stopped replying to the negotiators.
SWAT decided to use a robot to get a chemical irritant inside the home and conduct video surveillance but Thomas closed the door, according to the release.
After Thomas closed the door, SWAT made another attempt to breach the door.
That's when, Gmoser states, Thomas appeared at the door with his pistol and pointed his unholstered firearm at SWAT team members.
Thomas was then shot by a SWAT member, the prosecutor stated.
An autopsy revealed that Thomas had meth in his system and his death was the result of four fatal gunshot wounds.
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