No charges for officer who fatally shot man in Old Louisville

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - A Louisville police officer will not be charged for fatally shooting a man who was charging at him with a metal flag pole last year, prosecutors say.

The Commonwealth's Attorney has declined to prosecute Officer Nathan Blanford of the Louisville Metro Police Department.

Blanford shot Deng Manyoun, a 35-year-old Sudanese refugee, on June 13, 2015 near the intersection of 4th Street and Oak Street in Old Louisville.

Surveillance video showed Blanford retreating as Manyoun charged at him, swinging a flag pole, before Blanford fired.

LMPD Chief Steve Conrad defended Blanford's use of lethal force in a press conference following the shooting, saying the officer did not have time to switch to a less lethal option. Policing, he said, "requires split second decisions that will be looked at and second-guessed and judged and scrutinized literally forever."

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