Off-duty deputy helped Fox River Mall shooting victim

An off-duty Fond du Lac County deputy, out celebrating a family member's birthday, jumped into action during the Fox River Mall shooting.

FOND DU LAC COUNTY, Wis. - An off-duty Fond du Lac County deputy, out celebrating a family member's birthday, jumped into action during the Fox River Mall Shooting that unfolded on Jan. 31.

Deputy Blaine Evans stopped into Scheels Sporting Goods after dinner when the mall shooting happened nearby. Without hesitation, he got his family to safety and ran to help a victim.

Even when the uniform is off, the duty of the job never takes a break.

"I think that’s a testament to what law enforcement does," said Fond du Lac County Sheriff Ryan Waldschmidt. "You’re keenly aware of what’s going on around you at all times."

What Evans did was no surprise to Waldschmidt. Evans quickly got family and customers to safety and took a look at surveillance monitors, searching for the suspect.

Instead, he spotted a victim who was outside of a store.

"All of a sudden they heard commotion, and they saw people running and some screaming, and he could tell right away something terrible had happened," said Waldschmidt.

Waldschmidt said Evans was the first emergency person or police officer that made it to that victim. The man had been shot in the hip. Evans topped a woman running at the scene and asked for gauze. She handed him a feminine pad.

"She was able to throw him that pad and he opened it up and packed the gunshot wound and got the bleeding under control," Waldschmidt said.

On-duty Grand Chute police officers started arriving on the scene, and Evans stayed with the victim -- a deputy's instinct that helped during chaos.

"Goes from what’s supposed to be a nice birthday celebration with family, jumping right into action two counties away from Fond Du Lac where he works," said Waldschmidt.

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The sheriff said Evans worked third shift that same night following the shooting.

One person was killed. The suspect was arrested and charged.

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