An Ohio city has spent over $430,000 defending two officers in connection with the fatal police shooting of a man at a Wal-Mart who was carrying an air rifle from a store shelf.
The Dayton Daily News reports the cost to the Dayton suburb of Beavercreek includes about $210,000 paid to two law firms.
The city's law director says outside counsel was necessary. Crawford family attorney Michael Wright says the money could have gone toward a settlement for the family.
An officer fatally shot John Crawford III in 2014 after a 911 call about someone waving a rifle at the Wal-Mart. Police say he didn't obey commands to drop what later turned out to be an air rifle.
A federal probe for any possible civil rights violations is continuing.
