Suspect and officer identified following a critical incident that left one person dead in Wisconsin

Wisconsin Department of Justice

BELOIT, Wis. (WFRV) – The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Criminal Investigation Division (DCI) has identified the 33-year-old man and the Beloit police officer involved in last week’s critical incident.

Authorities identified the suspect in the incident as Michael P. Ward, and the officer involved was Nicholas S. Rodenbeck.

Officer Rodenbeck, who has been in law enforcement for three years, shot Ward, who was carrying two bladed weapons, while walking toward another person. The officers asked Ward to put down his weapons, but he did not comply.

Life-saving measures were performed and Ward was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. No police officers or anyone else was injured in the incident.

Officer Rodenbeck remains on administrative leave per agency policy.