UPDATE: St. Croix County deputy shot and killed identified
UPDATE: The St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office identified the deputy who was shot and killed in the line of duty Saturday night.
Deputy Kaitie Leising, 29, died after an exchange of gunfire just outside of Glenwood City around 6:15 p.m.
Authorities say Leising was investigating a vehicle in the ditch with a possible impaired driver when a suspect opened fire.
Deputy Leising served in the St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office since 2022. She previously served with the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office in South Dakota for about two years.
Aerial footage of the procession for the fallen deputy can be viewed below. Law enforcement say they will escort Leising’s remains and stand vigil by her side until the services are complete.
St. Croix County Deputy Kaitie Leising (Photo Courtesy: St. Croix County Sheriff's Office)
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St. Croix County deputy shot, killed Saturday night
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: A St. Croix County deputy is dead after being shot near Glenwood City Saturday night, according to a news release from the St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities say the suspect was later found dead in a wooded area with a gunshot wound.
RELATED: St. Croix County dispatch confirms officer-involved-shooting
The sheriff’s office said the deputy responded to a report of a potential drunk driver in a ditch near Glenwood City around 6:15 p.m. Saturday.
Officials say the deputy reported shots fired shortly after arriving. The deputy was shot, and later died at a local hospital.
The sheriff’s office said the suspect fled and was later found dead in a wooded area with a gunshot wound.
There is no threat to the community, the news release says.
The Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation is taking the lead on the investigation and will turn over its report to the St. Croix County District Attorney when the investigation is finished, according to a news release from the Wisconsin Department of Justice.
This is the third incident within the past month where a law enforcement officer died in the line of duty in Minnesota or Wisconsin.
Almost exactly a month earlier, two officers, one from Chetek and another from Cameron, were shot and killed in nearby Barron County, Wisconsin. The suspect also died in the shootout.
A week after that, in Minnesota, a Pope County deputy was shot and killed while responding to a domestic call. The man who opened fire was killed by officers.
Law enforcement agencies across the area are showing support to the St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office over social media.
Around 2 a.m. Sunday, several law enforcement vehicles were seen in a procession heading to the medical examiner’s office in Ramsey.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
Source: KSTP
