DARLINGTON — As state and local investigators continue to probe the Feb. 12 death of a suspect that was being chased by officers, the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office is coping with the aftermath.
Specifically, the impact on their small department of placing a pair of deputies on paid administrative duty while the main incident is being investigated — led by the Wisconsin Dept. of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation.
The deputies aren’t being disciplined or suspected of any wrongdoing. Rather, the probes are routine for any incident in which someone dies amid police activity, according to Lafayette County Sheriff Reg Gill.
“We’re definitely shorthanded,” said Gill, adding that the two deputies placed on administrative duty represent the bulk of a three-deputy night shift. “It’s part of the process that we go through and it’s standard with something like this.”
Gill said the manpower situation is being handled by officers working overtime since the department doesn’t have many part-time resources available.
The ordeal began just after 1:05 a.m. on Feb. 12, when the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 report of a subject acting erratically on West Water Street near North Iowa Street in the City of Shullsburg, according to a DCI press release. Two Lafayette County Sheriff’s deputies and one Darlington police officer responded.
Upon arrival, officers apparently located a subject “yelling and wandering in the street.” That as-yet unidentified suspect physically resisted when officers made contact, police said. Then, authorities said, one of the officers unsuccessfully deployed “non-lethal means” to subdue the subject.
The suspect then ran from the officers. Once eventually detained, the subject continued to physically resist. According to the DCI press release, the suspect then became distressed and the officers attempted to provide life saving measures. Emergency medical services were requested and responded to the scene.
“The subject was transported to a local hospital where they were later pronounced deceased,” said the statement.
No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.
“The investigation remains ongoing, and Wisconsin DOJ is not releasing any additional information at this time,” said Melanie Conklin, a spokesperson for the agency.
In addition to the two Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office deputies, the responding Darlington officer also have been placed on administrative duty, per department policy. The officers were wearing body cameras during the incident, and both Darlington Police Department and Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office have squad cameras.
DCI is being assisted in the investigation by the Shullsburg Police Department, Lafayette County Coroner’s Office, Lafayette County EMS, Shullsburg EMS, Wisconsin State Patrol, DCI Crime Response Specialists, and members of DCI’s Digital Evidence Unit.