St. Croix County Sheriff's Deputy Fatally Shot Near Glenwood City
Officers in salute outside the medical examiner’s office in Saint Paul after the Wisconsin deputy’s body was taken there late Saturday. Photo via Minneapolis Police Department
Outside the Ramsey County, Minn. Medical Examiner's Office in Saint Paul. Submitted
GLENWOOD CITY—A St. Croix County sheriff's deputy has died after being shot by a suspect near Glenwood City.
Outside the Ramsey County, Minn. Medical Examiner's Office in Saint Paul.
The suspect fled through a wooded area and was later found with a fatal gunshot wound, believed to be self-inflicted. He was confirmed deceased at the scene.
The incident took place near Hwy. 128 & County Rd. G, in eastern St. Croix County. Deputies were called to the intersection for a vehicle off the road and into the ditch around 6:15 p.m. Saturday.
The 911 caller stated the driver appeared very intoxicated, according to the law enforcement audio reviewed by WI CRIME.
TWITTER: Our original thread on the incident
Shortly after arrival, the female deputy reported that shots were fired. Little further confirmed information on what took place next is available but she had sustained a gunshot wound and the suspected shooter fled on foot.
St. Croix County Sheriff’s Deputy Kaitie Leising
The suspect was said to be a white male wearing a hi-visibility green shirt and tan shorts, last seen running westbound into nearby woods, according to the dispatches. A Minnesota State Patrol helicopter was requested to assist in the suspect search and officers had a wide perimeter in place.
Two other occupants of the vehicle were detained at the scene of the crash.
Deputies reported the suspect was spotted running through a wooded area northwest of the initial incident location. He was then located near Glen Meadows Ln. & Windmill Way with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Deputies said they didn’t see any movement from the suspect, reporting he was unresponsive and requested crime scene barriers to shield the body. The suspect was "in custody" and confirmed deceased by 7:50 p.m. A K9 track was started near the suspect's body and along the route as he fled.
The deputy who was shot is now confirmed to have died at a local hospital.
A large procession of law enforcement vehicles accompanied the deputy’s body across the border from St. Croix County on I-94 to Ramsey County, Minn. The procession ended at the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office in Saint Paul, with dozens of squads parked outside into the night, with their lights flashing in solidarity.
At least 100 officers lined the street in Saint Paul near the medical examiner’s office and surrounding roads were closed for a short time for the procession.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Division of Criminal Investigation has confirmed the deputy was killed and the suspect later found deceased with a gunshot wound in a wooded area.
“DCI is leading this investigation and is assisted by numerous neighboring law enforcement agencies, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin State Crime Lab and a DCI Crime Response Specialist. All involved law enforcement are fully cooperating with DCI during this investigation.” the department said in a media release.
The St. Croix deputy is the latest in a string of law enforcement officers shot while on duty in the last month in Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Last month, two police officers were shot and killed in Barron County during a traffic stop in Cameron. Killed were Officers Emily Breidenbach, 32, of the Chetek PD, and Hunter Scheel, 23, of Cameron PD. The suspect was killed.
On April 15, a western Minnesota sheriff's deputy was shot and killed and two other law enforcement officers were injured while responding to a domestic incident. Pope County Sheriff's Deputy Josh Owen died while responding to the incident on his 44th birthday. The suspected shooter also died when officers returned fire.
UPDATE - Sunday, May 7: The St. Croix County sheriff’s deputy has been identified as Kaitie Leising. She was 29 years old. Leising had been with the sheriff’s office since 2022 and previously served with the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office in South Dakota for two years. - A large law enforcement procession was bringing Deputy Leising’s body from Ramsey County back to Wisconsin on Sunday afternoon after her autopsy.
Leising’s funeral was held Friday, May 12.
The suspect has been identified as Jeremiah D. Johnson, 34. He allegedly refused to complete a field sobriety test and was evasive with Leising while on scene. Johnson then allegedly drew a handgun and shot Leising, who returned fire three times. Johnson was not struck by the gunfire and he fled into the nearby woods.
Johnson was found about an hour later by law enforcement who reported that they saw Johnson, heard a gunshot and witnessed him collapse to the ground. The DOJ reports that no law enforcement officers fired weapons while they were searching for Johnson and that a handgun was found nearby Johnson’s body.
TEXT OF MEDIA RELEASE FROM DCI:
“The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) is investigating an officer involved critical incident in the township of Glenwood, Wis. that occurred on the evening of Saturday, May 6, 2023.
At approximately 6:15 p.m., St. Croix County Sheriff’s Deputy Kaitie Leising, age 29, with approximately 3 years of law enforcement service, was dispatched for a report of a potential drunk driver in a ditch.
Upon arrival at the scene, Deputy Leising encountered the driver of the vehicle in a ditch along with another vehicle of individuals that stopped to assist the individual. Deputy Leising requested the individual, Jeremiah D. Johnson, age 34, participate in field sobriety tests before returning to his vehicle. Johnson was evasive to Deputy Leising’s requests and after approximately 8 minutes of dialogue, Johnson turned toward Deputy Leising, drew a handgun and shot her. After being struck, Deputy Leising discharged her weapon three times, but none of the rounds hit Johnson before he fled to the nearby wooded area. This incident was captured on body camera.
The occupants of the assisting vehicle immediately began lifesaving measures on Deputy Leising, who was transported to a local hospital where she died.
Additional officers responded and began searching the wooded area near the scene. Approximately an hour after Deputy Leising had been shot, a law enforcement officer observed Johnson, heard a gunshot, and witnessed him collapse to the ground. During the search for Johnson no law enforcement discharged their weapons. A handgun was recovered at the scene where Johnson was located deceased.
There is no threat to the community.
DCI is leading this investigation and is assisted by numerous neighboring law enforcement agencies, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin State Crime Lab and a DCI Crime Response Specialist. All involved law enforcement are fully cooperating with DCI during this investigation.
DCI is continuing to review evidence and determine the facts of this incident and will turn over investigative reports to the St. Croix County District Attorney when the investigation concludes.”
DEVELOPING STORY; Check back for updates
Previously: Two Officers Killed, Suspect Dead in Barron County
Previously: Three Officers Shot, One Fatally, in Cyrus, Minn.