GIRARDVILLE -- Charges were filed Friday against a man accused of forcing a police officer to fire his gun at him.
The incident happened Friday morning in Girardville. Investigators say the suspect admitted that he was meth at the time.
Police say the girlfriend of Carmen Almonti, 31, of Girardville thought he was going to kill her. Investigators said Almonti went berserk and threw her to the floor. She took her young children to the Girardville police station.
Officer Mel Tomeo responded and the situation escalated, according to Mayor Ed Burns.
Court papers state Almonti and Officer Tomeo fought Officer Tomeo used his stun gun on the suspect several times with no effect. Almonti admitted later that he was using meth. Mayor Burns is not surprised.
“The man kept coming at him, that he's going to kill him, he's going to kill him, he was tazered, he was shot twice with the tazer and it didn't do anything to him that`s when he had to draw his revolver and he didn't shoot to kill either," Burns explained.
The mayor says even after being shot, Almonti continued his attack on Officer Tomeo. Both were taken to hospitals. Almonti underwent surgery. Officer Tomeo was treated and released.
Neighbors are shaken. One woman asked us to not use her name.
"(I) could hear the screaming of the officer after the shots telling him to get down the guy was just combative."
Neighbor Elaine Kelly said times have changed.
"We have a German shepherd dog and we have motion detector lights and considering a whole protection for inside the home, you have to be worried about who your neighbors are anymore."
State police are investigating. They will turn the results of that investigation over to the district attorney. She'll decide if Officer Tameo's actions were justified.