-Branson, MO. -February 28, 2023. Branson police officers involved in a February 2023 shooting have been cleared of wrongdoing by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Taney County Prosecutor’s Office. At a press conference hosted at Branson City Hall on Friday, Aug. 18, Branson Police Chief Eric Schmitt announced three officers involved in a shooting incident on Feb. 28, at Dalton’s Express on West Highway 76 have been cleared of any wrongdoing following an investigation by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. “We take all uses of force seriously and understand the value of human life,” Schmitt said in a video presentation shown as part of the press conference. “We understand the need for transparency in order for our community to understand our actions. All uses of deadly force are fully investigated and reviewed by an independent law enforcement agency, the prosecutor’s office, and the Branson Police Department.” Schmitt said a vehicle being driven by Randall Wesolek, Jr., was identified through the FLOCK license plate camera system for multiple outstanding felony warrants. An officer spotted his vehicle, and called for backup for a potential traffic stop. Before the stop could take place, Wesolek parked the vehicle in front of the Dalton’s Express. The first officer pulled his patrol car behind Wesolek’s vehicle and approached the driver’s side, asking Wesolek to identify himself. Wesolek gave a false name, John Hankins, to the officer, who returned to his car and had dispatch arrange to send him a photograph of Wesolek. The photo confirmed Wesolek’s identity to the officer. The officer then re-approached the vehicle, informed Wesolek his identity had been confirmed, and then asked him to exit the vehicle. The first officer opened the car door, again asking Wesolek to exit. At this point, the other two officers on the scene approached and began to assist the first officer in having Wesolek leave the vehicle. As officers were physically attempting to remove Wesolek, he began to reach for something between the two front seats. Officers started telling him to stop reaching as they were attempting to remove him. Wesolek was able to reach a handgun, and one of the officers yelled “GUN!” The officers withdrew from the car as they pulled their service weapons and fired. Wesolek dropped the gun into the parking lot and then fell out of the car. After securing the gun, which had a loaded clip and a bullet in the chamber, the officers checked to make sure they had not been hit by shots and that bystanders inside the store were also unharmed. Life saving measures then began on Wesolek, who died at the scene. The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control unit investigated the incident. Trooper Sam Carpenter said the Branson department fully cooperated with his department’s investigation. The investigation took about a month and the results were submitted to the Taney County Prosecuting Attorney’s office. When the report arrived, then-Prosecuting Attorney William Duston was in the final stages of battling cancer and did not get to the report before his passing on May 17. Taney County Prosecuting Attorney Brad Hughes, who had been acting in the role of Prosecuting Attorney since Duston’s death, did not want to make a decision on the case until someone was appointed the permanent replacement for Duston. Hughes was named to the position on June 29. On July 5, Hughes’ office announced it would not be filing any charges in connection with the shooting incident. Hughes sent the following statement to the Branson Tri-Lakes News in relation to the incident: It is the responsibility of the Taney County Prosecuting Attorney to review critical incidents involving the use of deadly force by law enforcement officers that result in serious physical injury or death of an individual. The review is conducted by independently examining all evidence related to the incident in order to determine if the use of force was justified under the circumstances. Following a review of evidence related to an officer involved shooting on February 28, 2023, that resulted in the death of Randall Wesolek, Jr., the Taney County Prosecuting Attorney determined that the law enforcement officers involved acted reasonably and the use of deadly force was justified under the circumstances.