KAUKAUNA — An Appleton man shot in the shoulder and injured Sept. 13, 2023 by a Kaukauna police officer is now facing multiple charges related to the incident.
The officer’s actions were justified, the Outagamie County District Attorney’s Office determined in an earlier report.
Jonathon A. Gonzalez, 28, of Appleton was referred to the Outagamie County District Attorney’s office for charges of recklessly endangering safety, operating a motor vehicle without owner’s consent and fleeing/eluding an officer, according to the Appleton Police Department, which conducted the investigation.
Gonzalez was shot by Sgt. Michael Frank of the Kaukauna Police Department on the evening of Sept. 13, 2023 who was responding to a report of a man driving a stolen vehicle who had two female juveniles with him.
According to the Appleton Police Department’s earlier report, Frank and other officers working for the Kaukauna Police Department were given information about an adult male who was driving a stolen vehicle that was reported to have two juvenile females as occupants and the information provided stated the male driver had eluded other officers and agencies on a high-speed chase the previous night.
When the vehicle arrived at the home in Kaukauna, it entered the garage and turned its lights off.
Shortly after, the stolen vehicle’s lights turned on and the vehicle exited the garage at a high rate of speed.
Fearing for his safety, as well as the safety of other officers responding behind him, Sgt. Frank fired one round at the driver who was struck in the shoulder area, according to the report.
The two juvenile female occupants were secured, and officers determined no other injuries occurred as a result of the incident.
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