When officers arrived, David West, 44, was in the basement of the residence. West reported to officers located at the top of the stairs that he had a pistol and refused to come upstairs or show his hands after several verbal commands to do so. When West became visible to the officers with a weapon pointed at them, Rodriguez fired. West died at the scene.
At the Piqua Police Department’s request, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation investigated the incident. The agency’s report was reviewed by Miami County Prosecutor Paul Watkins.
“There is no evidence to suggest that an objectively reasonable officer would have acted differently in this incident,” Watkins wrote. “I conclude that Lt. Rodriguez was justified in all respects when he discharged his weapon ... Moreover, Lt. Rodriguez acted in a manner consistent with his training.”
Rodriguez had been on paid administrative leave since the incident. The other three officers present at the incident remained on active duty.
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