ST. LOUIS — Just minutes after he posted bail Friday afternoon, Velda City Police Officer Matthew Schanz walked passed the St. Louis County Justice Center and saw something he says left him fuming.
"It's unfortunate what Wesley Bell had to say," said the 33 year old Officer Schanz.
St. Louis County Prosecutor announced Officer Schanz and his partner, Officer Christoper Gage are both now charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action.
Schanz suddenly interrupted the news conference.
"Mr. Wesley Bell I am one of those officers. I would like to know when that car passed me that citizens and or other police officers were not in fear of their lives? " Officer Schanz asked the prosecutor.
"Both officers are represented by counsel and I would recommend that counsel speak on behalf of those officers," said Wesley Bell.
The charges against the two officers stem from an incident on February 25th. Officers Schanz and Gage pulled over a vehicle near Octavia and West Florissant for expired, temporary tags.
At that time, a St. Louis County spokesperson said the 37 year old driver started to drive off, toward the officers and that both officers fired shots at the man, striking him more than once.
The driver led officers on a short pursuit and crashed into another car.
He suffered critical injuries.
"Both officers continued to shoot once the car has gone around and passed them," said Dana Mulhauser, the Chief of the Conviction and Incident Review Unit.
"This was an ordinance violation. This was a traffic stop and at this point, using deadly force in a situation like this is not legal or justified. What the officers did violated the law and that's why they're being charged," said Wesley Bell.
However, Officers Schanz says he and his partner were only trying to protect themselves and the community.
"I yelled at my partner that the vehicle was coming back towards us and at that point I was giving several commands to the vehicle and the driver, yelling, screaming to stop! At which time, he didn't and at which point I had to use deadly force to save my life, to go home to my family that night," Officer Matthew Schanz said.
Officer Schanz says he will fight the charges.
"I would not have done anything differently. We did, I believe, everything by the textbook. There are two sides to every story and our sides have yet to come out," Officer Schanz told reporters.
RELATED STORIES: