GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – No criminal charges will be filed against two Green Bay police officers in the death of a man, the Brown County District Attorney announced.
Based on his review of the case, District Attorney David Lasee said he found no evidence to suggest Green Bay officers Roman J. Trimberger and Nicholas J. Walvort acted criminally, “The evidence in this case is clear that both Officer Trimberger and Officer Walvort appropriately exercised their privilege to defend others by use of deadly force.”
Elder Melgar, 42, was shot by police on May 9, 2020.
Officers were responding to an apartment complex in the 2800 block of University Ave. for a report of shots fired.
Court documents say Melgar was inside an apartment unit, talking to a woman who lived there.
The woman said that’s when her ex-boyfriend, Manuel Hernandez-Martinez, entered the apartment, without permission and armed with a knife.
A violent confrontation ensued between Melgar and Hernandez-Martinez, documents read.
At one point, the woman told police Melgar had a gun and shots were fired in the apartment.
The police were called as the physical altercation between the two men moved outside the apartment building.
When officers arrived, they say they saw Melgar fire a gun at Hernandez-Martinez at the scene.
That’s when Officer Trimberger and Officer Walvort shot toward Melgar.
Melgar died at the scene.
“Had they not intervened, it’s certainly likely that Melgar would have been successful in shooting and killing Hernandez-Martinez,” Lasee wrote.
An autopsy revealed Melgar sustained gunshot wounds to the head, neck and torso, all potentially lethal.
In addition to gunshot wounds, the autopsy found Melgar sustained six stab wounds, one “could potentially have resulted in death without appropriate medical therapeutic intervention.”
Hernandez-Martinez was arrested at the scene and faces multiple charges, including criminal trespass, domestic abuse, dangerous use of a weapon and first-degree recklessly endangering safety.
