FAYETTEVILLE — Fayetteville Detective David Williams was justified when he shot and killed a bank robbery suspect earlier this month, the Washington County Prosecutor’s Offce concluded Wednesday.
“We felt the entire time that the offcer acted appropriately,” Fayetteville Police Chief Greg Tabor said.
Prosecuting Attorney John Threet reviewed an investigation completed nearly a week ago by the Washington County Sherift ’s Offce to determine if Williams committed any criminal wrongdoing when he shot and killed 29-year-old Matthew Andersen on Dec. 2.
Williams, a 10-year veteran of the Police Department, was one of four off cers who responded to a bank holdup call at the Arvest branch on Wedington Drive and Garland Avenue. Andersen was in his car in the drivethrough and had passed the teller a note demanding money, police said.
According to the sherift ’s investigation, the note said at least two accomplices were watching both exits at the bank. It further stated bank employees had one minute to comply.
Within approximately 1 1 /2 minutes, offcers were at the scene of the bank’s drive-through area, on the south side of the building.
Bank customers, employees, police and other witnesses at the scene told investigators three off - cers were shouting instructions to Andersen, who ignored officers’ repeated commands, the review says.
Instead, Anderson accelerated in reverse, intentionally striking and pushing a car behind him, which was occupied by two bank customers.
Two police officers had to jump out of the suspect’s path to avoid being struck by Andersen’s car, the review says. Williams then fired three rounds at Andersen, striking him three times. He was hit once in the left arm and twice in the upper left torso.
Andersen died shortly after being taken by ambulance to a local hospital.
Threet said the use of deadly physical force is justified when there is reasonable belief the other person is committing or about to commit a felony involving force or violence; using or about to use unlawful deadly physical force; or imminently endangering a person’s life.
While the law only requires one of the three components be present before using deadly force, all three justifi - cations were present during the Arvest Bank robbery, the investigation says.
Threet said he based his conclusion on the suspect’s robbery note, actions and statements; as well as witnesses, police reports, officers’ car videos and bank security videos.
“The note itself implied that he had at least two other accomplices who were armed and that they would use their weapons if their demands weren’t met,” he said.
“The off icers weren’t able to determine if he was unarmed outside of the vehicle itself because he wouldn’t obey their commands. The use of his car was also endangering the lives of bank customers and fellow police oft cers.”
The findings of Threet’s review came nearly three weeks after the Fayetteville Police Department conducted an internal investigation, which determined Williams didn’t violate any departmental policies when he shot Andersen.
Both investigations are conducted for all officerinvolved shootings.
Williams, who was placed on paid administrative leave pending the results of the internal investigation, returned to work about a week after the shooting.
Threet said his review, which cleared Williams of violating any criminal laws, confirmed the initial fi ndings of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office’s investigation.
“I followed up and made some calls to witnesses to make sure I was clear on some things,” he said. “That’s about all I do unless I see an issue or problem, which I didn’t in this particular case.”