The Oregon Department of Justice has ruled that an officer was justified in shooting and killing a man following a traffic stop north of Klamath Falls in October.
The shooting happened October 5th on Highway 97 near Modoc Point.
Police say Phillip Moskios, Jr. assaulted a state trooper and fled the scene after a narcotics dog alerted that there were likely drugs in the car.
“There was a car, a traffic stop that occurred of a Mr. Moskios. There was an altercation, and a pursuit.” Notes Klamath County District Attorney Eve Costello. “And in the end, he was deceased.”
The D.A. can’t say if it was a Klamath Falls officer, or a D.E.A. agent who fired the fatal shot.
Costello referred the case to the Oregon Department of Justice. “They made the determination that there was not an unreasonable use of force, and that criminal prosecution would not be sought – and they do not intend to even take it through a grand jury.”
The names of the officers involved have not been released.
The Department of Justice says their investigation included interviews with Moskios’ family, friends, and co-workers; the officers involved, and reviews of videos of the incident.
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