Comprehensive Review Ordered To Investigate Killing Of Deputy Wyman

Oriskany, NY (WIBX) - Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol announced a major development into the Aggravated Murder investigation of the death of Deputy Kurt Wyman. Maciol said, "In the wake of the murder of Deputy Kurt Wyman, along with the magnitude of this incident, and unanswered questions, I'm commissioning a comprehensive review of this case." Maciol says he will head the internal investigation.

Maciol, explaining some of what led to the tragic incident last Tuesday said, negotiators on the scene determined that the suspect, Christian Patterson armed himself with a shotgun and was barricaded inside the attached garage of his home. Officials on the scene said they concluded that he was in danger of causing harm to himself based on the verbal exchanges he had with the emergency officials. It was decided to use less lethal munition to incapacitate Patterson to prevent him from harming himself and take him into custody.

Maciol said Wyman maintained a post and provided light for the negotiators and the emergency response team, and around 2:00 a.m. after 6 hours of the stand-off, an opportunity presented itself and officials used the less lethal munition, striking Patterson and knocking him down, however, he did not say whether Patterson lost complete control of his weapon after the non-lethal strikes. "At that time, Deputy Wyman proceeded to the opening of the garage with his Taser deployed, and was fired upon by Patterson, who had regained control of his shotgun. Deputy Wyman sustained a gunshot wound to the neck. Patterson then fired two more times upon deputies. Three members of the Sheriff's Office returned fire. Patterson was struck multiple times and taken into custody," Maciol said.

When asked if Wyman made the approach to the garage opening--after officials used less lethal munition to knock Patterson down--on his own, and not at the direction of his Supervisor, Maciol said, "That is correct, but I need to stress that I can only surmise that Deputy Wyman saw an opportunity to preserve Christian Patterson's life, to protect his fellow deputies, and to defuse the situation acting as he did." He added that in doing so, he ultimately gave his own life trying to protect another.

Maciol was asked why officials decided to enter and try to apprehend Patterson when he did not pose an immediate threat to the officials and only exhibited signs of hurting himself, he gave this answer, "Anytime the police are in a stand-off, or with a person who is armed, they certainly are a threat." He said whether standard protocol was followed on the scene are all issues that will be looked at during the investigation. Calling Wyman a-hero, Maciol added that part of the investigation will also look into whether Wyman took any unnecessary risks.

Patterson's condition has been upgraded to Fair, and is still recovering at the hospital. He was shot multiple times. Patterson, according to Maciol, fired his weapon three times at officers--one of those bullets proved fatal for Wyman. Maciol said the suspect will be arraigned and charged with Aggravated Murder when he gets medically cleared. He said Patterson's live-in girlfriend was able to escape with her teenage son and take refuge with neighbors.