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Walworth County deputy shoots man

LAGRANGE — A Walworth County sheriff’s deputy shot a La Grange Township man twice Friday night after the man fired at deputies.

Deputy Wayne Blanchard shot Mark S. Beaver, 48, after a report at 10:37 p.m. of a disturbance at W4961 Rice Road, according to the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office.

Beaver remained in critical condition Saturday night in Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital in Wauwatosa.

Blanchard was placed on administrative duty pending a review of the shooting.

Deputies went to the home and found Beaver and a woman inside. Beaver reportedly had a handgun, according to the sheriff’s office.

“It was an argument between a male and a female,” Sheriff David Graves said. “It appeared he fired several rounds inside the house.”

Beaver held a gun to his own head in front of deputies, Graves said. He also pointed it toward the woman.

The woman escaped safely, he said.

Deputies asked Beaver to drop the gun, but Beaver pointed his gun toward a deputy taking cover behind a tree, Graves said.

Beaver fired one shot toward the deputy, he said.

Blanchard returned fire, hitting Beaver twice, Graves said.

The shooting was justifiable, he said.

It was the third Walworth County shooting incident in about a month.

A Sharon man involved in a 13-hour standoff with law enforcement shot himself in the abdomen Monday, Jan. 18.

A Richmond Township man exchanged gunfire with law enforcement Tuesday, Dec. 29, after a daylong standoff.

The Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office is assisting in the investigation of Friday’s shooting to avoid a conflict of interest.

Walworth County District Attorney Phil Koss is expected to review the investigative reports to decide whether charges should be filed against Beaver and whether the deputy’s use of force was justifiable.