Justice, a Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department K-9 officer, was stabbed during the standoff that closed Interstate 94 but is recovering and will return to duty, the sheriff said in a news conference.
A Milwaukee-area woman named Kalin Sunde streamed parts of the standoff that shut down Interstate 94 in Waukesha County, Wisconsin live on Facebook from inside the suspect minivan. The minivan was surrounded by law enforcement while she streamed the videos, Heavy has learned. You can watch those videos here. Be forewarned that they are disturbing. Shortly thereafter, the sheriff’s K-9 was wounded.
In the Facebook Live videos, you can see a gun, and the woman claims the male suspect is threatening to shoot her. At one point, the still unidentified male suspect talks to a person who sounds like a police negotiator and asks for “15 more minutes.”
The standoff started when sheriff’s deputies pursued a stolen gray minivan at the request of the DNR and then surrounded it for hours on the major freeway that links Milwaukee with Madison, Wisconsin. Sheriff’s officials said June 4 that it all came to a close with two officer-involved shootings. They haven’t released Kalin Sunde’s or the man’s name.
However, Sheriff Eric Severson said the woman involved “stabbed a Waukesha K-9, Justice.” Heavy has asked the Sheriff’s Department for a biography and official photo of Justice, and will add those to this article if received, but the department has posted about the dog before on its Facebook page, including with a picture. On May 5, the department wrote, “K9 Deputy Justice & his partner had a great time yesterday at Humane Animal Welfare Society – HAWS of Waukesha Romp N Rally in Sussex.” Justice is also pictured here in this collage:
Indeed, the Sheriff’s Department turned Justice into a reindeer for Christmas, writing, “K9 Deputy Justice has been good all year and plans on staying up all night so he can visit with Santa. Shhhhh….we think Justice is hoping Santa will share his cookies with him.”
The dog is alive but needed treatment and will be able to return to duty, said Severson. Luckily, Justice was treated and released.
Severson said the woman is in stable condition after she struggled with law enforcement. The man is in critical condition after being shot by law enforcement, and both are in custody. No criminal charges have been issued yet.
Kalin Sunde
The standoff led to the unusual circumstance in which law enforcement sent an alert to all cell phones in the area on June 4, 2019, advising motorists to avoid I-94 and Highway 67, which is near a major medical center, because of a law enforcement situation. The interstate was subsequently closed for miles and hours as a result of the standoff as SWAT officers surrounded the minivan.
You can listen to Sheriff Severson talk about Justice here:
Here’s what you need to know:
The Sheriff Says the Woman in the Standoff Ran on the Freeway Before Stabbing the K-9
Kalin Sunde
A journalist’s video captured loud bangs. The reporter said that he heard loud noises, and police on a loudspeaker demanding that the driver come out. Then, he heard loud bangs, yelling and the phrase: “K-9 officer on the ground.”
Sheriff Severson said the incident started at 4:21 p.m 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. Inside: a man and woman.
In an attempt to stop the minivan, officials deployed tire deflation devices, said the sheriff. 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.”
We continue to follow this standoff on I-94 in Waukesha County. @AmyDuPontFox6 + @billmiston are both on scene. This is a shot from earlier tonight. Law Enforcement continues to surround the area. @fox6now
Five hours of negotiation ensued and eventually tactical gas was “deployed into the vehicle.” 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 the dog at that time, he said. The K-9 was treated and released from the hospital.
Deputy Inspector Patrick Esser said the night before that there were two different officer-involved shootings connected to the incident. However, in a late evening press conference, he did not provide further details. He said the state Department of Criminal Investigation will investigate what unfolded. He indicated there was one officer-involved shooting and then “a second subsequent one.”
He said there was no longer a risk to the community, adding, “Based on state statute we are requesting that the Department of Criminal Investigation from the state conduct an investigation into the shooting.” The Interstate and Highway 67 were closed for hours. He called it a “fluid scene.”
When pressed on how the shootings unfolded, he said there were “two investigations.” He wouldn’t confirm the timeline.
Law enforcement dispatch audio reports on Broadcastify gave the following account, unconfirmed by police (be aware that early scanner reports can be wrong in fast-moving situations):
“OFFICER DOWN
06/04/19 22:47 (OCONOMOWOC – ) POLICE DEPARTMENT ADVISING CANINE UNIT INJURED DURING STANDOFF AND SHOOTING, CANINE UNIT OFFICER BEING TRANSPORTED EMERGENT TO VET EMERGENCY ROOM [WSC037]
VEH PURSUIT
06/04/19 22:12 (OCONOMOWOC – ) UPDATE: POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORTS SUSPECT DOWN WITH A GUN SHOT WOUND, CPR IN PROGRESS. POLICE DEPARTMENT LOOKING FOR FEMALE WHO FLED [WSC037]
VEH PURSUIT
06/04/19 19:42 (OCONOMOWOC – ) UPDATE: POLICE DEPARTMENT ON SCENE WITH ARMED SUBJECT BARRICADED IN CAR WITH REPORTED HOSTAGES. NEGOTIATIONS ON-GOING [WSC037]
VEH PURSUIT
06/04/19 16:49 (OCONOMOWOC – ) UPDATE: SHERIFF ON SCENE STAND OFF AFTER PURSUIT. REPORTED SHOTS FIRED. NEGOTIATOR & BEARCAT ENROUTE. [WSC247]
VEH PURSUIT
06/04/19 16:45 (OCONOMOWOC – ) SHERIFF IN PURSUIT OF A VEHICLE. NOW IN A STAND OFF POSITION. CALLING NEGOTIATOR. [WSC247]”
In one video, Kalin says, “He has a gun. Going to blow my brains out.”
Concerned people who were watching the videos live wrote things on her comment thread like: “Please get out of there Kalin” and “Where is the baby” and “U r heavily cover by police.”
The man in the car with her said, at one point: “I’m going to f-cking shoot her in the face if you come close. I need to call my f-cking mom.” In one video, Kalin said, “He has a gun. He’s going to blow my brains out.” In one of the videos you can hear a woman who sounds like a police negotiator.
A friend implored in a comment, “Please let her go.” The man says, “Give me 15 minutes and I will surrender on my word” and “I need to talk to some people, say goodbye, that I’m going to prison.” He repeatedly asked for 15 minutes.
A citizen video, which you can watch below, also captured part of the incident.
The gray minivan is seen driving down the freeway being tailed by police cars with their lights flashing. Be forewarned that the language is a bit graphic in the video.
“This just happened in ocon. Cops shot at the person in the chase,” wrote the man who first shared the video on his Facebook page, Scott Krueger.