A Dane County sheriff's deputy shot and killed a 25-year-old man Tuesday night in the town of Madison after the man pulled a gun on his ex-girlfriend at her Fitchburg residence and later attacked the deputy, authorities said.
Preliminary autopsy results show Eugene J. Walker of Madison died of a gunshot injury, Dane County Coroner Barry Irmen said. A ruling on the cause and manner of death is pending further investigation and test results.
The Sheriff's Office has not released the name of the 40-year-old male deputy, an 11-year veteran of the department, who has been placed on paid leave.
It is the third time in less than three months that Dane County deputies have been involved in a fatal shooting after a domestic incident.
According to Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Elise Schaffer, at about 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Fitchburg police were called to a residence in the 2200 block of Syene Road, where Walker was holding his 22-year-old ex-girlfriend at gunpoint after arguing about their breakup.
Walker fled before police arrived, but was located a few miles away around 11 p.m. by the deputy, who was on foot searching the area of Country Rose Court and Deer Valley Road in the town of Madison with other law enforcement officers based on information the woman provided, Schaffer said.
Based on reports that Walker had a gun, Schaffer said, the deputy drew his gun and began giving verbal commands. But, she said, the man charged at the deputy, head-butting him and knocking him to the ground, then punching him in the face repeatedly before the deputy shot him at about 11:15 p.m. Schaffer would not say how many shots were fired pending further investigation.
Unclear if Walker had a gun
Schaffer would not say if Walker had a gun when he was shot. She also would not comment on whether Walker ever had possession of, or had fired, the deputy's gun, but said the deputy did not suffer gunshot wounds.
The deputy was released from Meriter Hospital after being treated for head and face injuries, including several cuts from being punched, and will require additional treatment, she said.
Chris Crofoot, 28, an auto mechanic who lives a block away from where the shooting took place, said he heard one gunshot followed by a four- or five-second pause, and then heard four or five more gunshots in quick succession. After another pause of about two seconds, Crofoot said, he heard a final shot.
The Sheriff's Office and Coroner's Office have not released how many times or where Walker was shot.
Schaffer said the woman told police Walker had entered her home uninvited through an unlocked door, and that after they argued for about 30 minutes about the end of their relationship, Walker pointed a gun at her head.
Fitchburg police said the disturbance took place at 2244 S. Syene Road. No one answered the door there Wednesday.
In addition to sheriff's deputies, officers from the city and town of Madison responded to a request from Fitchburg police to help search for Walker, Schaffer said.
Lengthy criminal history
Walker has a lengthy criminal history and had recently been released from the state prison in Sturtevant, she said.
Dane County Circuit Court records show Walker was charged with disorderly conduct following a June 16 incident involving his then-21-year-old girlfriend. According to a criminal complaint, the woman, now 22, told Madison police that she and Walker got into an argument while she drove him to the apartment they shared. After the woman told Walker she was not going home with him, he made threatening remarks and threw a soft drink at her.
Walker has prior convictions for substantial battery, carrying a concealed weapon, drunken driving, resisting or obstructing an officer, possession of marijuana, criminal damage to property, disorderly conduct and bail jumping.
Schaffer said the Sheriff's Office has seen no "red flags" indicating that the deputy violated department policy or acted inappropriately.
Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne said he went to the scene after the shooting and is awaiting Sheriff's Office reports before ruling whether the shooting was justified.
Ozanne said he shadowed former District Attorney Brian Blanchard during the review of two fatal shootings by Dane County deputies in July. Blanchard found deputies were justified in both of those shootings.
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