A motorist shot and killed a St. Croix County sheriff’s deputy earlier than fleeing into the woods and capturing himself on Saturday, the Wisconsin Division of Justice mentioned.
The capturing makes 2023 the deadliest yr for regulation enforcement in Wisconsin since 2000.
Deputy Kaitie Leising, 29, had responded to a report of a drunken driver who had crashed right into a ditch within the city of Glenwood, about 50 miles northwest of Eau Claire, about 6:15 p.m. Saturday, based on the DOJ’s Division of Felony Investigation.
The motive force, Jeremiah D. Johnson, 34, refused Leising’s calls for to take a discipline sobriety check for practically 10 minutes earlier than taking out a handgun and capturing the deputy, the DOJ mentioned.
A automobile of people that had stopped on the scene to assist Johnson earlier than Leising arrived gave help to her. She later died at a hospital.
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After an hourlong seek for Johnson within the woods, an officer noticed Johnson shoot himself, the DOJ mentioned.
Leising had labored in St. Croix since final yr, and previous to that served in South Dakota with the Pennington County Sheriff’s Workplace for 2 years, St. Croix County Sheriff Scott Knudson mentioned.
Leising
“We, as a regulation enforcement household, will do every thing attainable to proceed to offer help and luxury to her household,” Knudson mentioned.
“We’ll miss her infectious smile and character,” Knudson mentioned.
The killing comes precisely one month after the deadly capturing of two law enforcement officials in neighboring Barron County. On April 8, Officer Emily Breidenbach, 32, of the Chetek Police Division, and Officer Hunter Scheel, 23, of the Cameron Police Division, pulled over a automobile pushed by Glenn Douglas Perry, 50, of New Auburn, after they obtained a report of “regarding habits,” based on DCI.
The killings in Barron and St. Croix counties carry the variety of regulation enforcement officers slain on obligation this yr to 4. In February, a person shot and killed Milwaukee police Officer Peter Jerving after a theft.
“The very fact we’re barely 5 months into the yr is past alarming,” mentioned Jim Palmer, government director of the Wisconsin Skilled Police Affiliation.
“A tragedy like this deeply impacts each officer that places on a badge and the family members that watch them depart every day,” Palmer mentioned.
The current staffing shortages confronted by regulation enforcement in recent times imply an officer could also be extra doubtless to reply to a scene alone, Palmer famous.
“That is very true in a rural setting the place the closest backup could possibly be 20 to half-hour away,” Palmer mentioned.
This can be a creating story and shall be up to date.
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