Man Killed By Officer In Appleton Shooting Identified

The man who was killed in an officer-involved shooting in Appleton has been identified as Jimmie Montel Sanders.

Appleton Police Chief Todd Thomas identified the 33-year-old Monday evening. Sanders was shot and killed by Lt. Jay Steinke, a 28-year veteran of the department, in the early morning hours Sunday.

Steinke shot and killed Sanders in what Thomas described as an “extremely dynamic and chaotic situation” at Jack’s Apple Pub around 1:40 a.m. Sunday.

Investigators plan to review security camera footage and police body camera video of the fatal encounter at the downtown Appleton bar.

Sanders, who died at a hospital, had a last known permanent address in Milwaukee and was recently staying with friends in Appleton, Thomas said.

Two men inside the bar were also taken to the hospital, one with a gunshot wound to his arm and the second with a shoulder injury not from gunfire. Thomas said a gun was recovered.

The two men injured will be identified at the conclusion of the investigation, and investigators are asking for the public’s help to “obtain the most accurate account of what happened,” according to one of two statements Thomas released Monday evening.

“There have been conflicting statements made by individuals involved in this, which has made this traumatic event even more difficult,” he said. “It is extremely important that we don’t make assumptions about what occurred based on preliminary and conflicting statements.”

Prior to Monday evening, Thomas said Sanders fired at least once inside the bar and a second man wrestled with him as others fled. The chief said Steinke went in and saw Sanders with the gun, then fired.

The Green Bay Police Department is leading the investigation into the officer-involved shooting.

Outagamie County District Attorney Carrie Schneider has been working with the Green Bay Police Department in the investigation, Thomas said.

An employee at Jack’s Apple Pub said the bar reopened Sunday afternoon and business resumed as normal.

Steinke has been placed on administrative assignment, as is standard in officer-involved shooting investigations. The officer who was with Steinke at the time of the incident has also been placed on administrative assignment until after his interview, Thomas said.

“Because of his proximity to the incident he will be formally interviewed by investigators, it is expected he will go back to full duty status after his interview,” Thomas said in the statement of the officer with Steinke at the time of the incident.

Editor’s Note: WPR’s Ross Terrell contributed to this report. This story was updated at 8:13 p.m. Monday, May 22, to include the identity of Jimmie Montel Sanders.