On July 6, 2014, 37-year-old Rajko Utvic died after a confrontation with Racine police in the 3000 block of Durand Avenue. Officers had responded to a 911 call reportedly made by Utvic saying he had taken a large quantity of Ibuprofen. When officers arrived he was armed with a knife and did not comply with repeated commands to drop it. Non-lethal methods including a taser were used but were reported ineffective. An officer then fired their service weapon, fatally wounding Utvic.

The Racine County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation and the findings were sent to Racine County District Attorney Richard Chiapete. The DA concluded the officer’s actions were legal, justified and necessary, placing total culpability for the deadly force confrontation on Utvic. Investigators cited witness statements, physical evidence, the autopsy report and the 911 call. It was reported Utvic lived with bipolar disorder, a point that drew calls for closer examination of how officers handle encounters with people experiencing mental illness. Does anyone have further details about the response on Durand Avenue that day or the lead-up to the 911 call?