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Man Shot By Delaware State Police Loses Lawsuit

Delaware State Police

DOVER, Del. (AP) - A judge has ruled in favor of Delaware State Police in a lawsuit filed by a man who was shot in the back by a trooper in 2013.

The judge on Wednesday rejected Keith Schueller's claims of gross negligence, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Court records show that Schueller, a suspect in several thefts, led police on a vehicle chase before crashing his car and running into a cornfield.

Trooper Brett Cordrey ran after Schueller, who picked up a shovel and threatened Cordrey with it. Cordrey first tried to use a stun gun to subdue Schueller before drawing his gun and firing a single shot.

Cordrey said he thought he shot Schueller in the chest. The attorney general's office found the use of deadly force to be justified.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.