One person was shot and killed by a Chippewa Falls police officer on Thursday morning after officers responded to a report of wanted individuals at a local hotel. Police say one of the people they contacted ran from the scene and was struck by gunfire after a brief chase that ended near a patio railing. Emergency medical crews tried life-saving measures on site, but the person was pronounced dead. No officers or other members of the public were reported injured.
Coroner And Chief Give Initial Updates
Chippewa County Coroner Ron Patten confirmed that one person had died, and Chippewa Falls Police Chief Ryan Douglas said there was no ongoing danger to the public. One person was taken into custody, and deputies from the coroner's office were called to the scene, according to WEAU.
How Officials Say The Shooting Unfolded
According to reporting that cites a Wisconsin Department of Justice press release, three Chippewa Falls officers were dispatched around 11 a.m. to a hotel near the 1000 block of West Park Avenue after a report of wanted subjects. The DOJ said an officer approached three people in a car, one person took off running, and during the foot chase that followed the person showed what officers believed was a handgun before jumping a patio railing. An officer positioned on the other side of that railing then fired and hit the person, per Spectrum News.
Investigation And Officer Status
The Wisconsin Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation has taken over the case, and local law enforcement agencies are cooperating. The officer who fired the shots has been placed on administrative leave and was wearing a body-worn camera during the encounter, according to WEAU. Authorities say emergency medical services were called in immediately and no other injuries were reported.
Context
According to Spectrum News, this is at least the fifth incident in Wisconsin this year in which a suspect has been shot and killed by a police officer. The outlet reports that the Division of Criminal Investigation is continuing to gather evidence and review body-camera footage as part of its ongoing work.
What Comes Next
Investigators remain at work processing the scene and reviewing evidence, and no criminal charges have been announced. Authorities have asked anyone with information about the incident to contact the Chippewa Falls Police Department while the Division of Criminal Investigation completes its review.
