Superior officer and suspect shot following pursuit; suspect arrested after hours-long standoff

A Superior Police officer is in stable condition after being shot early Sunday morning during an active incident near Superior Middle School.

4:30 P.M. UPDATE

During an afternoon news conference, Superior Police Chief Paul Wintersheidt and Mayor Jim Paine confirmed that the incident began with a physical domestic dispute. According to Chief Wintersheidt, the suspect was armed with multiple weapons and shot an officer several times with a semi-automatic rifle.

The suspect then drove into Superior Middle School and remained inside the building for roughly four hours before surrendering. Authorities said they are familiar with the suspect, though his name will not be released until formal charges are filed.

Mayor Paine praised the officers, saying, “The community is safe today because of the heroic actions of those officers. An officer took a bullet for the people of Superior today.”

11:25 A.M. UPDATE

Superior Police released additional details about the sequence of events:

Officers responded to a possible domestic dispute at around 2:45 a.m.
An officer attempted a traffic stop near Tower Avenue and North 37th Street on a vehicle believed to be involved.
The driver stepped out and opened fire, hitting the officer.
Two officers returned fire and struck the suspect.

The injured officer was taken to the hospital, treated, and later released. No other officers were hurt.

Police said the suspect fled and crashed into Superior Middle School. With assistance from Duluth Police, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, and the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office, officers took the suspect into custody at 7:01 a.m. He received medical care before being transported to the Douglas County Jail.

Both involved officers were wearing body cameras and are now on administrative leave, which is standard procedure. The Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation is leading the case, and all officers are cooperating.

Names of both the injured officer and the suspect have not yet been released.

Initial Reports

The shooting occurred near North 37th Street and Tower Avenue. Mayor Paine confirmed the suspect was in custody by 7:45 a.m. and said the officer is recovering well and expected to leave the hospital soon.

A large multi-agency response shut down Tower Avenue, and police blocked the entrance to Superior Middle School. The school district reported significant damage to the building after a vehicle crashed into it.

Students at Superior Middle School will shift to at-home learning on Monday, using the district’s standard inclement-weather plan. Officials emphasized that the incident was not related to school operations or students.

Mayor Paine said a comprehensive press release is forthcoming and that the city may hold another press conference.

Meanwhile, Duluth Police expressed support on social media, writing: “We continue to keep the Superior Police Department and the officer that was injured in our thoughts and are hopeful for a healthy and speedy recovery.”