Authorities link arson & homicide with suspect in officer-involved shooting at a public park in Wisconsin
CALEDONIA, Wis. (WFRV) – Authorities in southeast Wisconsin have connected a homicide investigation to a suspect in an officer-involved shooting that left him dead at a public park on Wednesday morning.
According to a release, authorities in Racine County responded to a working house fire in the 2600 block of West Crescent Street. After extinguishing the fire, firefighters located 64-year-old Cheryl Christiensen dead inside the residence.
An autopsy to determine Christensen’s cause of death was scheduled for Wednesday, July 10, and during the autopsy, the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office discovered Christensen had been shot multiple times before the fire, confirming the case was now a homicide investigation.
As the homicide investigation was unfolding, the Caledonia Police Department and the Racine County Sheriff’s Office responded to a citizen who told authorities that there was a man in all-black clothing lying face down on a path, and he was not moving.
Authorities responded to Cliffside Park to investigate, and shortly after law enforcement arrived on the scene, they reported over the radio that the man, only identified as a 37-year-old male, had discharged a firearm. Deputies took cover, and a tactical response was initiated.
Despite numerous efforts to negotiate with the man and resolve the incident without the use of deadly force, the man took actions that the release says forced law enforcement officers from multiple jurisdictions to shoot their firearms.
On-scene medical personnel provided immediate care to the man, but he died of his wounds at Cliffside Park. Authorities discovered that the 37-year-old had ties to the address where the homicide and house fire occurred earlier in the week.
Additionally, the release states that the Racine Police Department can confirm that the two incidents are connected and isolated.
Multiple agencies responding to fire near Sawyer Street in Shawano
“The loss of loved ones to senseless acts of violence is devastating to the family and the entire community,” said Racine Police Chief Alex Ramirez. “Our condolences go out to the family involved in these tragic events.”
Police say this remains an active investigation, and anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Racine Police Department’s Detective Bureau at 262-635-7756.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
