LEOLA − An Adams County Sheriff’s Office deputy shot and killed a 48-year-old Hancock man July 27 in the town of Leola.
At 5:09 p.m. July 27, a 911 caller reported a neighbor was “going crazy” and “waving a gun” toward the caller and the caller’s family in the 600 block of Third Avenue in the town of Leola, according to a news release from the Adams County Sheriff’s Office. The caller reported a description of the armed man, and the dispatcher directed the caller to seek safety inside the family’s home.
An Adams County deputy arrived on the scene and saw a man matching the description standing in a field with a handgun in his hand, according to the news release. The deputy ordered the man to drop the gun, but he refused to obey. The deputy and a Rome Police Department officer continued to give the man commands that he continued to ignore them.
The man walked back toward his property and the officers temporarily lost sight of him. A short time later, the man exited his home still holding the firearm and walked to the road, according to the news release. The man turned toward the deputy’s location, and the deputy fired one round from his department-issued rifle, according to the news release. The shot hit the man.
Law enforcement officers began administering first aid to the man, according to the news release. Officials had asked the Waushara County EMS to stage in the area and officers called them to the scene. The emergency medical personnel worked on the man, but he died from his injuries. The man’s gun was found next to him, according to the news release.
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office is the lead agency investigating the shooting. The Sauk County Sheriff’s Office, Marquette County Sheriff’s Office, Waushara County Sheriff’s Office and Juneau County Sheriff’s Office are assisting in the investigation. Both the Adams County deputy and Rome police officer were wearing body cameras and driving squad cars equipped with cameras, according to the news release.
The Adams County deputy has been placed on administrative assignment, per department policy.
Contact Karen Madden kmadden@usatodayco.com. Follow her on Twitter @KMadden715, Instagram @kmadden715 or Facebook at www.facebook.com/karen.madden.33
This article originally appeared on Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune: Sheriff’s Office says deputy fatally shot armed man in Adams County
Reporting by Karen Madden, Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune / Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Karen Madden, Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune | USA TODAY Network
