Wyoming wrongful death lawsuit against police postponed

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) - A wrongful death lawsuit in the case of a Wyoming man shot and killed by police may be halted until next year.

The Casper Star-Tribune reports a magistrate paused the proceedings Tuesday due to the overseas military deployment of Casper Police Officer Jonathan Schlager.

Schlager and Officer Cody Meyers are named as defendants in the federal lawsuit filed in February by the family of Douglas Oneyear.

Authorities say the officers were investigating a reported assault and encountered Oneyear carrying a sword in February 2018.

Investigators found Schlager shot Oneyear twice and killed him, while Meyers’ gunshots missed Oneyear.

The lawsuit says the sword was a toy, but the officers dispute that description.

Other defendants include the Casper city government and 20 unidentified police officers and state police academy employees.

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Information from: Casper (Wyo.) Star-Tribune, http://www.trib.com