US police officer kills man on first day back at work after shooting another man
Officer shot suspect dead 10 days after shooting another man who survived
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Your support makes all the difference.A US police officer who was put on leave for shooting a man has shot and killed another person on his first day back at work.
Officer Pablo Torres was still under investigation for the first incident when he fired at 26-year-old Aaron Siler in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Saturday.
He was with a team chasing Mr Siler when he allegedly sped off in a car after they attempted to arrest him with a probation and parole warrant.
Lieutenant Brad Hetlet, from the Kenosha Police Department, said he crashed the vehicle and then fled on foot before “arming himself with a weapon” as officers followed close behind.
“Officer Torres fired his handgun striking and killing the suspect,” he added. “There were citizen witnesses to the incident.”
Mr Siler’s death is being investigated by a state police watchdog. His mother, Lisa Toppi, told local television her son had served time in prison and was given the warrant after failing to meet with his probation officer as planned.
“I don't want people to think of him as this fugitive monster, because he wasn't,” Ms Toppi said.
“His father and I told him, Aaron just go see Sarah and make this right so you don’t have to look over your shoulder all the time.”
Ms Toppi attended school with Officer Torres and said she saw him just weeks before the shooting – a memory that now makes her “sick to the stomach”.
“I don't want people to think of (Mr Siler) as this fugitive monster, because he wasn't,” she added.
“He killed my son...that's what hurts, that he killed my baby.”
Lt Hetlet said the department understood the family’s grief and the toll on the community and officers concerned but added: “These tragedies can be avoided if subjects would simply stop and follow the commands of the officers.”
In Officer Torres’ previous shooting, he had taken down a man who advanced on officers with two knives on 4 March but is expected to survive.
He was put on administrative leave and attended training before returning to work 10 days later.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation.
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