Deputy shoots and kills person reported as suicidal; a deputy also was shot, third person injured

Karen Madden
Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune

ARPIN - An officer shot and killed a person who was reported as being suicidal, and a Wood County sheriff's deputy and another person were injured during the incident Tuesday evening, according to the Wisconsin Department of Justice.

A caller reported a suicidal person shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday, Wood County Sheriff Shawn Becker said. Deputies responded to State 186, near Wood County N in the village of Arpin. A deputy was shot while investigating the report, Becker said. 

While deputies were evaluating the suspected suicidal man, he ran into a home and grabbed a knife, the Wisconsin Department of Justice announced Wednesday. There was a struggle, and a deputy shot him.

Emergency personnel performed CPR on the man, but he died on the scene, according to the DOJ. A Wood County deputy also was shot, and another civilian was injured. Both were taken to a local hospital and are in stable condition. 

The DOJ did not say who shot the injured deputy or the nature of the civilian's injuries. The state and sheriff's department also have not released identities of any of the people involved.

The Wisconsin Professional Police Association is representing both deputies involved in the shooting, said James Palmer, the association's executive director. The deputies are cooperating fully with the DOJ investigation, Palmer said. 

"They recognize how important it is for the community to have their questions answered," Palmer said. "Anytime law enforcement's use of force results in a death is a tragic situation, regardless of circumstances." 

The shooting happened on the outskirts of the village in an area without many visible homes.

The DOJ's Division of Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation into the shootings. Several Wood County police departments are assisting, according to the DOJ.