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Man Shot By Delaware State Police Loses Lawsuit

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.

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Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs 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.