DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio police officer who fatally shot a black man in a Walmart store says he believed he faced an “imminent threat,” although he acknowledges he never saw the man point what turned out to be an air rifle or threaten anyone.

Beavercreek officer police officer Sean Williams made his statements during a deposition in a federal lawsuit filed by the family of John Crawford III. The 22-year-old Crawford was Aug. 5, 2014, after police responded to a 911 call about someone waving a rifle in a store in Beavercreek, a Dayton suburb.

The Dayton Daily News reports depositions show police relied on the lone 911 caller. A grand jury and federal prosecutors declined to file charges against Williams.

The civil case is scheduled for trial next month.

Information from: Dayton Daily News, http://www.daytondailynews.com