Fatal Wisconsin police shooting, no criminal charges for officers

Officers won't be charged in fatal shooting

Law enforcement will not be criminally charged in the fatal shooting of a man who led police on a chase on I-41 in February 2024.

WINNEBAGO COUNTY, Wis - The Wisconsin Department of Justice announced no criminal charges will be filed against the officer involved in a Feb. 2 fatal shooting.

The decision was issued by Winnebago County District Attorney Eric Sparr on Friday. The shooting involved a North Fond du Lac police officer and left the 36-year-old suspect dead in Winnebago County.

Authorities said an officer stopped the suspect's car in the village of North Fond du Lac around 9:40 p.m. the night of Feb. 2 – but the driver took off.

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The chase stretched north onto I-41. A Fond du Lac County sheriff’s deputy used a tire deflation device on the interstate near County Highway Z, about a half-mile into Winnebago County, causing the vehicle to stop.

The driver, later identified as 36-year-old Lawrence Drennan, who was the only person in the car, called 911 and reported that they had a gun.

The DOJ said Drennan then got out and walked toward law enforcement. The North Fond du Lac officer, later identified as Sgt. Bryce LaLuzerne, shot Drennan.

Drennan died at the scene despite life-saving attempts from first responders. No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.

Legal opinion

The legal opinion from the Winnebago County District Attorney said officers "were put in a very difficult position by a suicidal person."

Drennan had made several, repeated threats to officers that he was going to shoot them, and "seemed aware that creating such a belief and aggressively moving towards officers would pressure them to shoot him," according to the document.

The legal opinion further said "officers attempted to defuse the situation verbally, but Drennan gave no indication that he would be distracted from his goal."