Wausau Police Officer Won’t Be Prosecuted in Shooting Incident

A Wausau police officer has been cleared of wrongdoing in a shooting incident in the city in August.

Wisconsin Department of Justice investigators say Officer Shawn Fritsch acted in a reasonable manner, even though he shot a suspect in the back. Fritsch will return to active duty on Monday.

The incident occurred when Fritsch and three other officers responded to a call of a burglary in progress on Aug. 22 on Wausau’s west side. Fritsch found 34-year-old Adam Radek hiding in a dark basement with a loaded gun, according to Marathon County District Attorney Ken Heimerman.

“The person handled the gun as you would if you were going to shoot it. He held it by the grip,” said Heimerman.

The DA said that Fritsch fired two rounds at Radek after yelling at him to drop the gun. One of the rounds hit Radek in his back shoulder, while the other missed.

Radek faces gun and heroin possession charges. Three other people will be charged with obstruction of justice in the incident.