The Lincoln County Sheriff has released the name of the deputy involved in a deadly force incident on Monday, Feb. 27. Sheriff Jeff Jaeger said he's Sam Steckbauer who has been a deputy at the department since 2010.

Investigators say he shot Shawn Igers, 40, of Wausau after Igers fired shots at the deputy. The man died as result of the confrontation.

“In the face of this grave threat, the deputy was forced to return fire,” stated Jim Palmer, a spokesman for the Wisconsin Professional Police Association in an email.

According to Chief Dave Savone, the Merrill Fire Department responded to an emergency call at County Road FF between Berlin Lane and Hilly Road in the Town of Corning at 7:38 p.m. Monday night.

“Though the matter remains under investigation, it is clear that the officer exhibited great courage and skill during this extraordinarily harrowing ordeal,” Palmer wrote.

Palmer stated members of the WPPA's field and legal staff will assist in the independent investigation being undertaken by the Wisconsin Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation.

Lincoln County Sheriff Jeff Jaeger told NewsChannel 7 Monday night that he requested DCI to investigate the deadly use of force by a Lincoln County deputy. Deputy Steckbauer is on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. That's standard procedure.

Jaeger said the deputy was "OK."

Palmer said the deputy's squad was struck after shots were fired.

This is the fourth time deadly force has been used by law enforcement in central Wisconsin in the last year.



• An Antigo police officer shot and killed 18-year-old Jakob Wagner after he had shot and injured two other teens outside of the prom last April.



• Also that month, a Wausau officer shot and killed 42-year-old Oswald Mattner at an apartment complex on Gilbert Street.



• Fifty-year-old Scott Minard was shot after a stand-off in Lincoln County.



Investigations ruled that the use of deadly force was justified in each case.



