One day after body camera video was released, we're hearing from the wife and stepdaughter of the man who police say started a shootout on May 15 with Appleton police.
“I'm hurt because I don't have my husband no more and it's sad that a fireman don't have his life anymore, a police shot, a lady shot, it's sad,” said Tamatha Houston, Ruben Houston’s wife.
After seeing that body camera video, the family of Houston says officers were justified in their actions in the tragic shooting outside Appleton's transit center.
nvestigators concluded Houston shot and killed
Appleton firefighter Mitch Lundgaard and wounded Officer Paul Christensen.
Houston died at the hospital that night, after being shot as officers returned fire.
A bystander,
Brittany Schowalter, was also shot, and is recovering after spending weeks in the hospital.
“For a while I was mad because I thought they maliciously killed my husband,” said Tamatha Houston. “I really did, but when I seen the body cam and I seen everything that happened, I was at peace with it. I was at peace with it. They did their job.”
The Houstons were together for 25 years. Tamatha says Ruben cared for her four daughters like they were his own. She says her husband was not a monster, but battled a mental illness and was being treated for years of heroin use.
“He used drugs, I'm not ashamed to say it,” said Houston. “He used drugs, but that didn't make him a bad person. He still was a beautiful person inside and out.”
Houston says she's never seen the face her husband had on when paramedics were treating him for an apparent overdose, which can be seen in the body camera video. She says she also hasn't seen her husband act the way he did moments later when police asked to check him for weapons.
“That wasn't my husband,” said Houston. “I don't know who that was out there that day. It wasn't my husband.”
Tamatha Houston and her daughter say they want everyone to know they apologize to all the people involved in the tragedy and are especially thankful for the emergency personnel who cared for and tried to reason with Ruben.
“They did everything they possibly can to help him at that moment and time. I'm thankful for that,” said Lewis.
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