Man Accused in Eau Claire Firefighter Case Testifies in Court

In a St. Joseph courtroom on Tuesday, the man accused of shooting an Eau Claire firefighter took the stand during his own trial. According to reports from The Herald-Palladium, Rigoberto Gomez testified that he acted in self-defense during a confrontation with Chad Medlin last November.

Gomez stated that a verbal disagreement escalated and that he felt trapped, leading him to believe he had no other option in the moment. He was the only witness called by his attorney after the prosecution concluded its case on Tuesday afternoon.

The jury is expected to reach a verdict later this week. If convicted, Gomez could face a life sentence.