Attorney says officer who shot man acted in self defense

WATERBURY, Conn. (AP) - The attorney representing a police officer who fatally shot a man in Connecticut says his client acted in self defense.

Attorney Elliot Spector is representing Officer Ronald Tompkins III who shot and killed 57-year-old Edward Gendron on Monday, the Republican American reported Saturday.

Tompkins was called to perform a welfare check at Gendron’s home after getting a call from a property manager saying a tenant reported finding a bullet hole in a shared wall.

When Tompkins asked about the hole, Gendron said he was moving boxes and his gun went off, according to Spector. Gordon, who was sitting in a chair, reportedly pulled out a handgun, pointed it at Tompkins and said, “You’re dead.”

The two got into a physical struggle for the gun when Tompkins fired a shot into Gendron’s chest, Spector said. When Gendron’s grip tightened on the gun, Tompkins reportedly fired a second shot.

“I can tell you that the officer in Waterbury desperately tried to do everything he could to avoid lethal force,” Spector said.

Gendron’s sister, Gail Christian, said she doesn’t believe Tompkins’ story. She said Gendron needed two crutches to walk and had limited mobility.

“I can’t believe for a second, that my brother would have said to this cop ‘You’re dead,’” Christian said.