GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A June 12, 2023, trial date was set Friday in a federal civil rights lawsuit filed by hostages during the 2015 standoff at Eagle Nation Cycles in Neenah.
Brian Flatoff took multiple people hostage at the store, upset about his motorcycle. During the standoff, police officers shot and killed Michael Funk. The officers were not charged, and a federal lawsuit by Funk’s estate was dismissed.
Ethan Moderson, Ryan Moderson, Michael Peterson, Stephen Erato, and George Fuerte filed suit against the City of Neenah, Sgt. Angela Eichmann, Lt. Shaun O’Bre, Lt. Tyron Thompson, Officer Jonathan Kuffel, Officer Marly Heiting and several others. The suit claims hostages were treated as if they were criminals, not crime victims, and seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.
The city has denied the claims and asked for the lawsuit to be dismissed.
At one point, the trial was scheduled for next week but that was postponed. The new trial date was set Friday, according to a court official.
Flatoff was sentenced to 100 years in prison for his actions.
