OCONTO FALLS (NBC 26) — Oconto Falls county and several other agencies responded to the 100 block of Elm Avenue at 10:30 this morning, after several 911 calls and hearing screams over the police radio. It was there they found an Oconto Falls officer shot. The officer was responding to a report of suspicious activity and possibly kidnapping.
"The wounded officer was transported to a Green Bay Area hospital and is now in stable condition. And thank God for that," Oconto County Sheriff Todd Skarben said. "God was on our side today."
The suspect is a 29-year-old Oconto Falls woman who was taken into custody. The Sheriff's Department is recommending a charge of First Degree Attempted Homicide. It was an emotional day for all the officers involved; seeing one of their own, as the Sheriff said, fight for their life. He got emotional at a press conference today thanking the community for their constant support.
"We also want to thank our community. Our brothers and sisters of law enforcement for all their messages and support," Sheriff Skarben said. "Across the country, you hear law enforcement agencies being vilified... We don't experience that in Oconto County. We have a strong strong relationship with our people, because we are the people of Oconto County. We are woven in the fabric. Many of us... many of us born and raised here."
It was an isolated incident and there is no threat to the community. No motive has been released yet, and the Oconto County Sheriff's Department is continuing to investigate.
