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Accident – Death – Obituary News : : 1. East Moline officer-involved shooting justification
2. State’s attorney ruling on deadly shooting justified
State’s Attorney Dora Villarreal has determined that East Moline Police were justified in their use of deadly force in a shooting that resulted in the death of 80-year-old Eugene Mewes. The incident began on May 16 when police responded to a call at Hometown Harbor apartments for an assault involving Mewes. A day later, officers were dispatched again to the same area for a report of a man with a gun, leading to a confrontation where Mewes was shot four times after refusing to drop his weapon. The report concluded that the use of deadly force was necessary to prevent imminent harm to officers and bystanders.
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1. East Moline police shooting justified
2. State’s attorney decision on officer-involved shooting in East Moline
State’s Attorney Dora Villarreal has concluded that the East Moline Police were justified in their use of deadly force in the shooting that resulted in the death of 80-year-old Eugene Mewes last month.
The Incident on May 16
The chain of events began on May 16 when police responded to a call at the Hometown Harbor apartments regarding an assault. An employee at the complex reported that Eugene Mewes, 80, had assaulted him following a dispute over maintenance work carried out at Mewes’ residence.
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Mewes became agitated and proceeded to choke the employee, causing him to fall from his motorized scooter, as detailed in Villarreal’s report. Both parties were taken for medical treatment and discharged on the same day.
The Incident on May 17
On May 17 around 2:15 p.m., East Moline officers were summoned back to the same location in response to a report of a man armed with a gun. The employee mentioned earlier stated that Mewes had fired at him but missed.
The employee managed to evade the gunfire by fleeing on a golf cart. Officer Garrett Kistner was captured on video driving towards Mewes, who was seated on a scooter on the sidewalk. Lt. Dustin Edkin arrived on the scene as Mewes held a semi-automatic pistol under his chin.
Despite commands to drop the weapon, Mewes refused and instead challenged the officers to shoot him, claiming his finger was on the trigger. Both officers then discharged their firearms, striking Mewes four times. They attempted to assist Mewes while awaiting paramedics, but sadly, he succumbed to his injuries three days later.
Investigation and Findings
Following the incident, Edkin and Kistner’s body-worn and squad cameras were collected as evidence. The Integrity Task Force conducted a thorough investigation, including a neighborhood canvass and interviews with witnesses such as the property manager and a teacher from East Moline Christian School.
On May 22, it was confirmed that both officers tested negative for drugs and alcohol. Ballistics analysis revealed that Edkin fired three shots and Kistner fired two shots. An additional shell casing was found near the scene, matching the gun Mewes was holding.
The report concluded that the use of deadly force was necessary to protect the officers and others from imminent danger. The circumstances known to the officers at the time supported their decision:
- They were aware that Mewes was armed
- Mewes had already fired at another individual before their arrival
- Mewes refused to relinquish the weapon and indicated he was prepared to shoot
- Mewes exhibited suicidal tendencies that posed a threat to the officers
- The incident occurred in a public area near a school and community center
- After being shot once, Mewes directed his firearm towards the officers
Overall, the report indicated that the officers’ actions were deemed justifiable given the circumstances surrounding the incident.
