TOWN OF ALGOMA, WI -- A car chase turned into an officer involved shooting in the town of Algoma Thursday night.
More information is expected today, as a Noon joint press conference has been scheduled by Oshkosh Police and Winnebago County Sheriff's Office. A NBC26 reporter will be there to provide the latest on this developing story. Return to this website for more information.
The ordeal shut down the streets surrounding the Algoma Town Hall, and sent one man to the hospital.
The condition of that man, believed to be the suspect police were seeking, is not known at this time.
Police have been clear: the public is not in any danger at this time.
One witness we spoke with, who saw the chase unfold in front of his car, says it was a shocking scene.
"Everybody was just kind of frozen," says lifelong Oshkosh resident Drew CLayton, "everybody was just kind of frozen like, 'is this really happening?'"
Clayton was on his way to pick up his son from school, just down the road from the Algoma Town Hall, when, at the intersection of Oakwood Rd. and Witzel Avenue, he saw the driver of a car defying police orders to pull over.
"He threw it in reverse, and slammed into the back of the police car," says Clayton, "and then another police car came in, and he smashed the front of that."
Clayton says the chase veered onto the Algoma Town Hall yard.
"As [the suspect] drove by, I could see he had a gun with him," says Clayton, "and the officers jumped out of the vehicle. They had their weapons drawn."
Clayton says he feared for his 4-year-old daughter in the back seat of his car at the time.
"I didn't want to be in any crossfire," says Clayton, "so, immediately--as soon as they were off the road--I got out."
Police say they received a 911 call at 3:20 Thursday afternoon about a disturbance at an unknown residence.
"From that disturbance, there was an officer involved shooting," says Winnebago Co. Sheriff John Matz, "there is one subject that is at the hospital. His condition is unknown."
The investigation is currently being led by the Department of Justice, and Department of Criminal Investigation.
It's not known at this time who opened fire at the scene, and police have not confirmed whether the suspect had a gun.
According to Sheriff Matz, the incident involved one officer from the Winnebago Co. Sheriff's Department, and one from Oshkosh Police.
