State Patrol Officer Involved Shooting Investigation
Posted on 09/16/2022
Date: September 16, 2022
Case: State Patrol Officer Involved Shooting Investigation
Authority: Lieutenant of Detectives Tim Kemps
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred in the Village of Slinger on Industrial Drive just south of STH 60 at around 7:00 am on 9/16/22. The incident occurred after two Wisconsin State Patrol troopers conducted a traffic stop on a forty-one-year-old Village of Slinger man. This case is still evolving and we are limited in what we can release at this time as the investigation progresses, however, in the interest of transparency we are releasing the following preliminary information.
Cudahy Police Chief Thomas Poellot said, “The Cudahy Police Department was investigating a reported sexual assault of a child that occurred in the City of Cudahy. The suspect was identified as a 41-year-old male. The Cudahy Police Department coordinated the investigation with FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force (CEHTTF), FBI Milwaukee Safe Streets Task Force (MASSTF), Wisconsin DCI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Slinger Police Department. Cudahy Police Detectives obtained a search warrant based on probable cause for the suspect’s residence, located within the Village of Slinger, Washington County, WI.”
Investigators from multiple local and federal law enforcement agencies were preparing to serve the search warrant this morning. State troopers conducted a traffic stop on the suspect after he left his residence as part of the operation. The suspect drove down the dead-end road and stopped his car. Troopers approached the vehicle and the suspect pulled a handgun from his waistband while he remained in the car. One trooper fired their handgun at the suspect, striking his car. It is believed that the trooper's round did not strike the suspect. Preliminary evidence suggests that the suspect then shot himself with his weapon. He was pronounced dead at the scene by the Washington County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation into the shooting. The Cudahy Police Department, and the FBI CEHTTF are leading the criminal investigation into the events that led up to today. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office would like to extend our appreciation to all the agencies involved in this investigation as well as several area businesses on Industrial Drive who are cooperating with the investigation. Washington County Sheriff Martin Schulteis, said “although this case is tragic, I am appreciative of the effective collaboration between public safety agencies and thankful that those two troopers were not physically harmed this morning.”
An autopsy will be conducted by the Waukesha County Medical Examiner’s Office. Once the evidence and facts are determined in this case they will be turned over to the Washington County District Attorney’s Office. The incident was captured on squad camera as well as nearby business surveillance but the troopers do not have body cameras.
Both Wisconsin State Patrol Troopers have been placed on administrative leave per standard protocol pending the outcome of the investigation. One trooper has twenty-two years of service while the other has seven years of service. At this time no additional information will be released.