Thread by @ProPublica

1/ It was nearly 3 am in Weirton, West Virginia when Bethany Gilmer called 9-1-1. Her ex-boyfriend was drunk. He had a gun.

bit.ly/2RvrxsU

2/ A white police officer named Stephen Mader responded to the call. When he pulled up to the house, he spotted Gilmer’s ex, RJ Williams, with the gun in front of the house.

bit.ly/2RvrxsU

3/ Bethany told the dispatcher something really important: RJ’s gun wasn’t loaded and he was suicidal.

bit.ly/2RvrxsU

4/ Officer Mader never heard from the dispatcher that RJ’s gun might not be loaded. But he could tell RJ was in distress. He remembers RJ saying, “Just shoot me.”

Officer Mader said: “I don’t want to shoot you, brother.”

5/ Two backup officers arrived at the scene. Within 10 seconds, RJ would be shot and killed.

bit.ly/2RvrxsU

6/ In a rare case of swift discipline after an officer involved shooting, the city of Weirton fired a police officer. But not the one who pulled the trigger.

So, what happened at 119 Marie? Read the full story:

bit.ly/2U4uG4D