Family of Neillsville Man Killed in Confrontation With Law Enforcement Sues Several Agencies Involved

Wednesday, June 29th, 2022 -- 3:00 PM

The family of a Neillsville man that was shot and killed by law enforcement officers back in 2019 is suing several agencies.

According to a release from the Wisconsin Department of Justice, the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, at the request of the Eau Claire Sheriff’s Office, had been investigating an officer involved death that took place just before noon on Saturday, March 2nd of 2019 on Kempten Road between Augusta and Fairchild.

An Eau Claire County Sheriff’s deputy was dispatched to a report of a suspicious person in the area. The Augusta Police Department responded to assist the deputy. Upon arrival, the deputy and officer were confronted by a male subject who was in a state of agitation.

Tyler Meier of Neillsville was acting strangely. Even in the cold weather with snow still on the ground, he stripped naked and threw himself in the snow. Eventually, he attacked one of the officers, by pinning him to the ground and trying to strangle him.

The officer tried to use a taser and pepper spray against Meier, but it had no effect. The officers, fearing for their life, fired on Meier, hitting him in the chest. The officers immediately began life saving measures, but Meier passed away.

Meier had a history with law enforcement. He had previously been sentenced to five years in prison and five years of extended supervision after being convicted of felony murder by battery after fatally punching Keith Young of Neillsville in a Neillsville bar in 2009.

Young was 43 years old at the time of his death. Meier was also convicted of resisting or obstructing an officer in an Oneida County case in 2004. Back in August of 2019, the Eau Claire County District Attorney found that officers were justified in the shooting of Meier.

The district attorney stated that, based on the investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation, officers were justified in their use of force. A lawsuit seeking unspecified damages was filed in Eau Claire County Circuit Court on June 24th against Eau Claire County, the City of Augusta, and members of the Eau Claire County Sheriff’s Department and Augusta Police Department.

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