Suspect shot, killed by law enforcement after home invasion in Menomonie
A man was killed by law enforcement Saturday night after Menomonie Police said he broke into a home and stole a vehicle.
MENOMONIE, Wis. (WEAU) - One man is dead after a home invasion and robbery in Menomonie Saturday evening after being shot by law enforcement during a traffic stop.
The Menomonie Police Department said its officers, the UW-Stout Police Department and Dunn County Sheriff’s Office received a report of at a man who had broken into an apartment, threatened the homeowner, and stolen the homeowner’s vehicle at 8:58 p.m. Saturday in Menomonie, according to a release.
The report was of an older white man breaking into an apartment, threatening the homeowner and shooting a gun. The suspect then stole the homeowner’s vehicle and was stopped by law enforcement in the area of Bongey Drive and Terrill Road on Menomonie’s southwest side. During the traffic stop, the suspect was shot by law enforcement and died at the scene. No members of law enforcement were hurt during the traffic stop. Law enforcement provided first aid to the suspect before he died at the scene.
Menomonie Police reported that there was an increased law enforcement presence near the area of Bongey Drive and Terrill Road in a Facebook post at 11:41 p.m. Saturday, or about three hours after the report was called in. Police said that there was no active threat to the community and more details would be released on Sunday morning. The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office shared the same message at 11:50 p.m. Saturday.
One deputy from the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office and an unspecified number of officers from the Menomonie Police Department were placed on administrative leave per department policies. The Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation is handling the investigation into the officer-involved shooting, while the Menomonie Police Department is leading the investigation into the home invasion, according to a release from the Department of Justice.
Menomonie Police said that more details about the incident will be released as their investigation progresses. The Police Department said in a release that they will fully cooperate with the investigation into the officer-involved shooting. The DOJ said that all involved law enforcement are fully cooperating with the investigation, which is being assisted by the DOJ DCI Crime Response Specialist and Wisconsin State Patrol. Investigative reports will be given to the Dunn County District Attorney when the investigation is completed.
Also assisting were the Menomonie Fire Department and Colfax Police Department.
Mackenzie Standeart and her boyfriend Jason Retzloff live in the house just feet away from where the shooting happened.
They were wrapping up a card game night with friends.
“All of a sudden I saw maybe two or three cops with the scopes come out and everyone was yelling something... and then I heard gun shots,” said Standeart/
She said Retzloff and a friend were outside loading something into the trunk of the friend’s car when shots were fired. Jason jumped into the snow bank in front of the house to take cover, while the friend ran back inside the house.
Retzloff said before he jumped for cover her was able to get a glimpse of what happened. He said he saw the suspect drift onto the corner of the Bongey Drive and Terrill Road before the car came to a stop. Retzloff said he saw police lights and before he knew it, the shots were fired.
“It was pretty gnarly, man. It was not what I was expecting to cap my Saturday night with,” said Retzloff.
According to Mackenzie, everyone had to shelter in place until 1 a.m. Sunday morning.
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