OCONTO — A sheriff's deputy in northeastern Wisconsin shot and killed a person Wednesday during a traffic stop, state Justice Department officials said.
The incident began around 2:40 p.m. when an Oconto County Sheriff's deputy responded to multiple 911 calls about a reckless driver on Interstate 41.
The deputy found the vehicle along the side of the interstate in the town of Oconto about 10 minutes later. The deputy saw that the driver was already out of the car and appeared to be injured. While the deputy was tending to the driver a passenger in the vehicle got out and approached the deputy with a knife, Justice Department officials said.
The person refused to comply with the deputy's commands and the deputy fired. The person was hit and died at the scene, according to the Justice Department.
The driver was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The Justice Department is investigating the shooting under a state law that requires outside agencies to investigate officer-involved incidents.
The agency did not release the gender or race of anyone involved in the shooting. Agency spokeswoman Gillian Drummond didn't immediately return a message Thursday morning.
