St. Croix Sheriff's Deputy Kaitie Leising killed in shooting

GLENWOOD TOWNSHIP, Wis. (FOX 9) - The St. Croix Sheriff's Office has identified the deputy shot and killed during a traffic stop on Saturday night.

Officials say Deputy Kaitie Leising was the deputy killed in a shooting as she responded to a drunk driving call.

Deputy Leising has served with the St. Croix Sheriff's Office since 2022. Prior to that, she was with the Pennington County Sheriff's Office in South Dakota.

"Our love and condolences go out to the family of Kaitie Leising and all those with whom she served," a statement from the sheriff's office reads. "We, as a law enforcement family, will do everything possible to continue to provide support and comfort to her family. We will all miss her infectious smile and personality. She will be missed by all she touched."

Deputy Leising was shot and killed as she responded to a drunk driving call after a vehicle went into the ditch. The Wisconsin Department of Justice says the officer conducted field sobriety tests on the shooter, identified as 34-year-old Jeremiah Johnson, before returning to his vehicle. Authorities say Johnson was "evasive" during the interaction.

After speaking for about eight minutes, Johnson "turned toward Deputy Leising, drew a handgun, and shot her." The DOJ says Deputy Leising was able to return fire but did not strike Johnson. People in an assisting vehicle tried to help Deputy Leising before she was rushed to the hospital.

Johnson was found about an hour later after fleeing into a wooded area. Another deputy reported seeing Johnson, hearing a gunshot, and seeing Johnson collapse to the ground.

Sunday procession honors Deputy Leising

From the Twin Cities to St. Croix County, Wisconsin, first responders covered overpasses and lined on-ramps to support one of their own.

"There's tears, there's anger, there's emotion going through everybody. It's a gut-wrenching thing. We're in small-town Wisconsin," said Teresa Strom from Woodville.

On Saturday night, Deputy Kaitie Leising was in the township of Glenwood, when she was shot and killed while investigating a possible drunk driver in a ditch. Less than 24 hours later, her fellow officers brought her body from the Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office to the funeral home in Baldwin, Wisconsin.

"It's just amazing to see the community come together in a time like this, and the police need our support," said Rita Bergeron from Eau Claire.

Community members who gathered to do just that say emotions are even more raw because this is fourth law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty in the last month in western Wisconsin and Minnesota.

"She had her whole life ahead of her. The people in Barron: same thing. They had families. They're doing their job. They're protecting our communities. They don't deserve this," Bergeron said.

Local police departments said Leising leaves behind a wife and baby son.

"We owe it to our officers -- due respect, and we're praying for them every night that they can come home to their families," Strom said.