Adams County Prosecutor Declines Charges After Fatal Police Shooting of Christopher Lindner

Adams County Prosecutor Aaron E. Haslam announced Feb. 19 that his office will not file criminal charges in the officer-involved shooting that killed 40-year-old Christopher Lindner and that the county’s criminal review is closed. Lindner, the son of FC Cincinnati majority owner and American Financial Group co-CEO Carl Lindner III, was pronounced dead at the scene of the family property in Manchester.

State and local officers first encountered Lindner after the Ohio State Highway Patrol said the Adams County Sheriff’s Office received a call from “a citizen concerned for their safety,” which led to a pursuit involving OSHP and the sheriff’s office. Officers in Peebles spotted Lindner and pursued him to the Lindner family farm, where reporting says he exited his vehicle, went inside a residence along Brush Creek Road, and officers established a perimeter for nearly an hour before he exited the home holding a firearm. Multiple outlets report the shooting occurred Nov. 14; an initial truncated report referenced Nov. 1 but the Nov. 14 date is supported by multiple detailed accounts.

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation conducted an independent review of the shooting before Haslam’s office completed its review of the investigative materials and applicable law. Haslam concluded officers “reasonably perceived an imminent threat of serious physical harm or death and that their actions were objectively reasonable based upon the facts and circumstances confronting them at the time.” In a written release, Haslam added, “The Adams County Prosecutor's Office recognized the gravity of this outcome and extends sincere condolences to the Lindner family.” He also said, “The Office also acknowledges the difficult and dangerous responsibilities carried by law enforcement officers and appreciates the professionalism demonstrated throughout the investigation.”

The Lindner family released a statement, attributed to Carl Lindner III, saying the family is “deeply saddened and devastated” by Christopher’s death and describing Christopher as “a loving, kind, Christ Jesus follower, husband, and father of four who had suffered from mental illness.” Local reaction was visible on WCPO’s Facebook post about the decision, which showed 78 reactions, 20 comments and 6 shares; public comments on that post ranged from questions about the prosecutor’s role to allegations and skepticism about the outcome.

Key details remain unreported in the materials reviewed: the names and ranks of the officers who fired, the number of officers who discharged weapons or rounds fired, autopsy and toxicology results, and a public copy of the BCI investigative report. Hoodline noted investigators had not yet posted BCI materials to the Attorney General’s officer-involved shooting page at the time of reporting. With Haslam declining to file charges, the county’s criminal-review track is effectively closed unless new evidence emerges or another authority steps in.