Appleton Post-Crescent

APPLETON — Body cam footage was released Thursday from the deadly shootout in May 15 in downtown Appleton.

The footage contains images and language that some might find disturbing.

First responders were called to the Valley Transit Center because 47-year-old Ruben Houston was unconscious on a bus that was traveling from Milwaukee to Wausau and had stopped in Appleton.

Houston had been treated with Narcan, a drug used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. He was taken off the bus and responding officers tried to get him to go to the hospital for medical treatment.

This is when the video begins.

Houston refused requests to be patted down and, when officers asked him what was on the right side of his hip, Houston pulled out a gun and began shooting. The officers immediately returned fire.

Appleton firefighter Mitch Lundgaard, 36, was shot in the upper back by Houston. Lundgaard later died at a hospital.

Houston was shot by the officers and later died at a hospital.

Appleton police officer Paul Christensen was wounded by one of Houston's shots, but continued to respond to the situation before he was taken to the hospital. He has since been released.

A bystander was used by Houston as a human shield after officers returned fire at Houston.

A total of 24 shots were fired during the incident.

On Thursday, Outagamie County District Attorney Melinda Tempelis found that the officers' use of deadly force was justified.