Local News
Jackson County deputy cleared in shooting death
A Jackson County sheriff’s deputy has been cleared in the shooting death of a man in the town of Brockway back in October.
Deputy Justin Wathke was responding to a domestic call around 12:20 a.m. on Oct. 28.
Lucas De Ford had apparently made suicidal comments to the victim during the domestic. Police were informed the 27-year-old was likely intoxicated and he had keys to the victim’s house.
Wathke spotted De Ford driving and followed him back to the victim’s house, parking near him in the driveway.
That’s apparently when De Ford quickly got out of his Chevy Trailblazer and ran around to the front of Wathke’s squad to the driver’s window. Wathke said De Ford’s arm was fully extended and gun pointed at the deputy’s head.
Wathke later said he thought he was going to be shot and killed. He struggled to get his gun out its holster while he sat in his squad car but managed to shoot De Ford twice through the squad’s driver’s side window.
De Ford stepped backward, then fell on his back. The gun fell out of his hands. Wathke tried to perform life-saving measures but De Ford died at the scene.
The gun he was holding resembled a Glock 22 9mm semi-automatic handgun but was later determined to be a BB gun.
Upon completion of an investigation by the state, the Jackson County DA found that Wathke was reasonable to believe he was in imminent danger and the use of deadly force was also reasonable.
Kateri De Ford
June 12, 2019 at 5:51 pm
but what the cops and kelly didnt tell the press was how kelly begged my brother to come back to her and always held his kids as a pawn in her game. my brother was a damn good father n took care of kellys other daughter as his own! she knew damn well she had that restraining order on my brother and played the cop like a fiddle. shes suppose to be in the military anyone in my brothers place would have reacted the same because he couldnt take her playing games with him and his girls! so before you only listen to the sherriffs report you guys should get the full story about what was really going on there!years later and my brother still never got n e justice. if he had a gun on him why would she let him stay living with her if she was sooooo scared of him? ask yourself that!
Kateri De Ford
June 12, 2019 at 5:57 pm
If she was so terrified of him then why drink with him? He might have been a big guy but he was big hearted and very protective of his family! What happened to talking the person down and calling for back up? huh? what happened to tazers? My brother would NEVER take anyones life! the gun that was so called there wasnt there because if it was it would have been released to my mother when the released ALL of the evidence to her! This will NOT be the end of my brothers legacy he will get justice in the courts! My brothers side will be heard and people that cry wolf and use the systems should be damn ashamed of themselves! As for the justice system that keeps allowing it they shouldnt be in these office/ seats anymore they DO NOT deserve to be there.