Candlelight vigil held Wednesday for fallen officers in Barron County

CAMERON, Wis. (WEAU) -A candlelight vigil Wednesday is honoring the two officers killed Saturday in Barron County.

The vigil was held at Mosaic Technologies, 401 S. 1st Street, in Cameron. Some of the speakers included the Chetek and Cameron police chiefs along with a coworker of one of the fallen officers. The speakers shared additional information about Chetek Police Officer Emily Breidenbach and Cameron Police Officer Hunter Scheel. Emily had a passion for motorcycles and Hunter was a huge fan of the Minnesota Wild.

At the vigil, each of the speakers shared how difficult this past week has been.

“This is the worst time of my life. I have had fellow officers in the past pass away but this one is very personal,” Chetek Police Chief Ron Ambrozaitis said.

More than 1,000 community members from across the state attended the vigil, showing support to local law enforcement and the families of the two fallen officers.

“Our department is small, everybody knows that. Our villages is small. Not today. Thank you all,” Cameron Police Chief Adam Steffen said.

Chetek Police Officer Emily Breidenbach and Cameron Police Officer Hunter Scheel were killed in a shooting while conducting a traffic stop. The DOJ says the stop was based on a warrant and to check the welfare of the driver, who has been identified as Glenn Douglas Perry, age 50. During the traffic stop, gunfire was exchanged.

Officer Breidenbach and Officer Scheel were pronounced dead at the scene. Perry was taken to a hospital where he later died.

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