A man and woman are in custody and were injured – and a sheriff’s K-9 was stabbed – after the standoff that closed down Intestate 94 in Waukesha County, Wisconsin.
Heavy has obtained videos showing a woman named Kalin Sunde streamed parts of the standoff live on Facebook from inside the stalled minivan. You can see them here.
Video screenshot provided by Bob Renk.
Waukesha County Sheriff Eric Severson said the incident started at 4:21 p.m June 4 when the Department of Natural Resources asked for help from his agency because the DNR was pursuing the vehicle, which was identified as a stolen vehicle from the town of Eagle.
In an attempt to stop the minivan, officials deployed tire deflation devices. A deputy observed the suspect in the vehicle point a firearm out the window, and a deputy fired, Severson said.
That’s when the vehicle stopped on the freeway. He said the “suspects refused to comply and demanded to speak to a negotiator” and added that the male suspect was “barricaded in the vehicle and alleged he was holding the female hostage.”
Five hours of negotiation ensued and eventually tactical gas was “deployed into the vehicle.” No one has been charged. At that point, the man fled with the female at gunpoint so two tactical officers struck the man multiple times, Severson said.
“The female ran on I-94 and wouldn’t comply with officers’ orders,” the sheriff alleged. She was taken into custody with a struggle, and she allegedly stabbed a sheriff K-9 named Justice at that time, he said. The K-9 was treated and released from the hospital. The woman is inn stable condition. The man is in critical condition. Both are in custody. Neither has been charged, and officials did not release their names.
Reports of shots fired and an armed suspect in a van, possibly with a hostage, caused the major highway shutdown in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. The standoff ended at about 10:30 p.m. with both the suspect and a K-9 injured, according to reports.
The suspect was shot at about 10:15 p.m., and first responders administered CPR, according to Broadcastify. At about 10:45 p.m., a K-9 was injured during the standoff, Broadcastify reported. The dog was taken to a veterinarian clinic by ambulance. A female, who was also in the van, fled the scene.
NEW VIDEO: 8-10 loud bangs during @billmiston 10pm live shot. We’re now told there were 2 separate Officer-involved shootings. @fox6now
The freeway is now open:
I94 is open in both directions. STH 67 remains closed at I94.
The standoff ended following accounts of about 10 shots fired and an ambulance rushing to the scene. Officials said a male and female were in the van, which was involved in a pursuit at about 5:30 p.m.
:: This is the vehicle at the center of the standoff with police on I-94 near Summit.
An armed man barricaded himself in a van on the highway, according to local news reports. An ambulance rushed onto the scene at about 10:30 p.m. after about 10 shots were fired, according to reporter Ben Jordan with TMJ4.
Ambulance & fire truck head toward I94 overpass where we just heard about 10 shots fired during a tactical situation.
At about the same time, Milwaukee Crime, Fire & Police News said simply the standoff “is over.”
standoff on I-94 in Waukesha County is over
The page reported a male and female were in the van, which was the subject of the pursuit and standoff.
standoff on I-94 in Waukesha County will end real soon, male & female were in Van.
In a brief press conference, Waukesha County Sheriff’s Deputy Patrick Esser declined to confirm accounts of shots fired or say whether anyone was injured. He said the scene is still an active crime scene. The Division of Criminal Investigations is conducting an investigation, he said. He expected the area would be reopened within “a few hours” at about 11:30 p.m.
“We’re going to try to open it as soon as possible,” he said.
Police said at about 8:30 p.m. it was still an active scene, telling locals to avoid the area, according to reporter Stephanie Buffamonte with CBS 58.
We’re learning more after road closures near Highway 67 and I-94. The Waukesha Sheriff’s Office says an armed man barricaded himself in a light colored van. They say it’s still an active scene and are warning the public to stay away.
Esser made a brief press statement earlier in the evening, saying, “At this time we just want to make the public aware of the situation going on at 67 and 84. We have a subject that’s believed to be armed in a vehicle. At this time it’s a fluid situation, so we’re dealing with that as it happens. We do ask the public though to avoid the area due to traffic concerns right now. We do have the interstate shut down as well as Highway 67. We’re going to be releasing more info as we get it but at this time we ask for your patience.”
Seven miles of the interstate were shut down in both directions.
Here’s what you need to know:
Cell Phone Alerts Said to Avoid Area
Alerts were sent to cell phones in the area at about 5:30 p.m., saying to avoid the area due to a law enforcement situation. A major hospital is located at the intersection. The hospital, Aurora Summit Medical Center, is also on lockdown, along with other local businesses.
:: Never seen this before. We are hearing there is a law enforcement situation underway.
The emergency cellphone alert said “Law enforcement warning: Avoid HWY 67 and I94 in Waukesha County until further notice.”
Milwaukee and Waukesha County Fire Scanner posted, “AVOID THE AREA OF AURORA SUMMIT/I-94 and Highway 67. Hospital is on lockdown, freeway is shut down so PD can set up and block suspects in. Reports of possible shots fired/armed suspects. Avoid the area so law enforcement can set up and do their job and EMS can have egress if necessary. Medevac humvees, negotiator, and Bearcats responding. No fly zone being set up.”
They updated the post with, “Waukesha County: **URGENT**
**EDIT FOR CLARIFICATION**
This is outside of the hospital (Aurora Summit), pursuit ended in shots fired, with a possible hostage inside the vehicle.”
I-94 is a major interstate that runs from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Madison, Wisconsin. Waukesha is a suburban county in the metropolitan area of Milwaukee.
BREAKING: Police are advising people to avoid the area of I-94 and Highway 67. Aurora Medical Center in Summit is on lockdown.
The Wisconsin County Sherriff tweeted the department will release media alerts at Western Lakes Fire Station 1.
@WaukeshaSheriff is staging media at Western Lakes Fire Station 1 .
1400 Oconomowoc Pkwy, Oconomowoc, WI 53066
Messages will be released at that location.
511 Wisconsin Tweeted all lanes of 1-94 were blocked in both directions at about 5:50 p.m.
Alert | WAUKESHA Co | Other | I-94 EB/WB | County P – County F | All Lanes Blocked (Both Directions) |
At least one person thanked officials for the cell phone alert.
@511WI @WaukeshaSheriff Props to Waukesha for having the technology to be able to send messages like the aler to us.
Witnesses May Have Captured Video of Pursuit
A local person tweeted what appeared to be a video of police pursuing a silver van. A popping noise can be heard on the video.
Jeremy Moose captured video that appeared to show police putting spike strips on the road and five police cars chasing it.
“Lost two tires,” he said on the video. “The van’s going sideways. Up on the bridge.”
A local reporter, Tom Durian with TMJ4, tweeted at about 7:50 p.m. that a tactical vehicle moved up to a silver van on the highway.
BREAKING NOW: Tactical vehicle moved up to silver van… a deputy threw something out (possibly a piece of clothing or vest) and then backed up. @tmj4
Reporters were kept back from the police activity for safety. Durian Tweeted he watched tactical units move closer to the van, while looking at his photographer’s camera screen.
BREAKING: Tactical vehicles have moved closer to the van again. This is the view from my photographers camera. @tmj4
Buffamonte also reported seeing the tactical units.
RIGHT NOW: Officials are keeping us at a far distance, but through our camera we can see multiple police squads and SWAT tactical vehicles on scene
The Journal Sentinel reported television news helicopter footage showed officers with guns drawn, pointed toward a minivan on Highway 67 near I-94. Airbags appeared to have deployed in the van, and someone was still inside.
A photo from Stephanie Grady with Fox 6 shows heavy police presence and armored police vehicles on the highway, and armed police in tactical gear.
#BreakingNews Highway 67 tactical situation in Waukesha County.
Photo Credit: Abe Van Dyke @fox6now
