TOWNSHIP OF GLENWOOD (NBC 26) — A deputy from the St. Croix County Sheriff's Office in western Wisconsin and a suspect are dead following a shooting incident in Glenwood Saturday night.
In a release from the Wisconsin Department of Justice, St. Croix County Sheriff's Deputy Kaitie Leising responded to a report of a potential drunk driver in a ditch at around 6:15 p.m.
It was reported by the Wisconsin Department of Justice that shortly after arriving on scene, Deputy Leising requested that Jeremiah D. Johnson participate in field sobriety tests before returning to his vehicle. Johnson was evasive to the requests and after eight minutes of conversation, Johnson drew a handgun and shot Deputy Leising. After being hit, body camera footage shows Deputy Leising discharging her weapon three times. Johnson was not hit and fled into a wooded area.
Witnesses of the incident began lifesaving measures on Deputy Leising. She was transported to a local hospital where she later died from a gunshot wound.
Additional officers searched the wooded area near the scene for Johnson an hour after Deputy Leising was shot. Authorities report they had observed Johnson collapse to the ground after hearing a gunshot. During the search, no law enforcement discharged their weapons. A handgun was recovered at the scene where Johnson was found deceased.
Authorities believe there is no threat to the community.
Multiple agencies are investigating the incident including The Wisconsin Department of Justice, The Wisconsin State Patrol and the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation.
The St. Croix County Sheriff's Office released that Leising served in St. Croix County since 2022. Prior, she had served with the Pennington County Sheriff's Office in South Dakota for two years.
Sheriff Scott Knudson shared condolences in a release writing, " Our love and condolences go out to the family of Kaitie Leising and all those with whom she served. We, as a law enforcement family, will do everything possible to continue to provide support and comfort to her family. We will miss her infectious smile and personality. She will be missed by all she touched."
