Black River Falls Woman Shot at Chippewa County Wal-Mart
Monday, April 11th, 2016 -- 10:22 AM
(AP) -Authorities say a police officer fatally shot a hatchet-wielding woman inside a western Wisconsin Wal-Mart store.Chippewa County Sheriff Jim Kowalczyk says the developmentally-disabled woman, 25-year-old Melissa Abbott of Black River Falls, was shopping Friday with chaperones at the Wal-Mart in Lake Hallie, which is between Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls. Police were called around 5 p.m. after she grabbed a hatchet off a shelf and began swinging it around. The sheriff says a Lake Hallie police officer shot Abbott twice after she refused to drop the hatchet and lunged at the officer. She was taken to an Eau Claire hospital with wounds to the abdomen and thigh.
Chippewa County Coroner Ronald Patten said Saturday that Abbott died Friday night and an autopsy was done on Sunday. The incident is still under investigation by the Chippewa County Sheriff's office and Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation. As is standard, the officer involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative leave during the investigation.
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