What began with a stolen vehicle in West Bend led to the deaths of three people near Kewaskum last Wednesday.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate what took place along Forest View Road the afternoon of February 3, 2021.
New information released Friday details the series of events that occurred:
- It began in the City of West Bend around 2:30 p.m. when a 30-year-old West Bend man stole a car.
- Around 2:45 p.m. he failed to negotiate a curve on Forest View Road north of Ridge Road in the Town of Kewaskum, causing a roll-over accident. The suspect was able to free himself and forced his way into a nearby home, which was unoccupied.
- At the same time a 52-year-old Port Washington woman came upon the accident scene and stopped to see if she could assist. The suspect returned to the vehicle, physically assaulted her and attempted to take her vehicle. He crashed that vehicle while leaving the driveway then fled on foot.
- At 2:50 p.m. the suspect forced his way into another home through a locked front door, and demanded car keys from the elderly homeowners. He received them and went to the vehicle, but was unable to start it. He then went back inside the home to physically assault the couple, then left again to try to start the vehicle. It was at this time the 72-year-old male homeowner retrieved a handgun at this time, and a 911 call was made. When the suspect returned inside the home a third time, he overpowered the homeowner, grabbed his gun, and fatally shot him. The suspect tried to shoot the wife, but the gun did not fire. The suspect then fled the scene.
- The suspect then entered a third home a short distance away, obtained a shotgun from inside, and fatally shot a 77-year-old male who lived at the home outside his garage. The suspect then fled.
- Around 3:05 p.m. a Washington County Sheriff’s deputy approached the suspect as he fled the third home he broke into. The two exchanged gunfire, resulting in the suspect being struck by one of the deputy’s rounds. The suspect fled the scene.
- After a perimeter was established, a drone located the suspect a short distance away from where the exchange of gunfire occurred. The suspect was found dead from an apparent gunshot wound.
The deputy, a nine-year veteran of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, was not injured. He is on administrative leave as the investigation continues with assistance from the Wisconsin State Patrol and the West Bend Police Department.
A statement from Sheriff Martin Schulteis:
“This horrific incident has struck this community and our agency at its core. We lost two valuable members of our community at the hands of this senseless crime spree. Their absence will impact many and we mourn with you. Our thoughts, prayers, and sympathies go out to the surviving victims and families of the deceased whose lives are forever changed. There are many more questions to be answered as to why this occurred. I assure the community that investigators are working diligently to be able to provide those answers. In the meantime, we ask that the public respect the privacy of the victims and their families and allow them to grieve.”
Our deputies never want to be placed in the position where they are required to use lethal force against our citizens. I am proud of the overwhelming law enforcement call to action which no doubt mitigated further violence from occurring; however, that does not provide peace to the loved ones of our victims. I believe the deputy’s actions were tragically necessary to protect the deputy and the community he took an oath to protect. Ultimately the independent investigation will be forwarded to the Washington County District Attorney’s Office to review, but our deputy’s actions ended a murderous rampage within our community.”