Crime & Safety

Updated: Washington County Deputy Shot in Wisconsin Hunting Incident

Jerry Cusick, 53, of Stillwater, was shot by a turkey hunter while he was scouting a hunting area in Somerset Township early Tuesday morning.

Authorities are investigating a Tuesday morning shooting incident in the Town of Somerset that sent a longtime Washington County Sheriff’s deputy to the hospital.

The victim has been identified as Jerry Cusick, 53, of Stillwater.

“Cusick suffered a single shotgun blast to the head, face, neck and shoulder,” according to an update from the St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office. “He is listed in good condition.

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The shooter has been identified as Anthony Cardarelli of White Bear Lake, according to the news release. Cusick was on private property scouting for an upcoming turkey hunt when he was allegedly shot by Cardarelli.

Cusick was able to make his way to a neighbor’s home where he was transported by Lakeveiw EMS to Regions Hospital.

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“There is no information at this point that Cardarelli intended to shoot a person,” St. Croix County Sheriff John Shilts said in a prepared statement. “However, I have great concern over the fact that Cardarelli did not properly identify his intended target prior to shooting.”

Cusick is a 28-year veteran of the Washington County Sheriff's Office. As a commander with the sheriff’s office, Cusick’s duties include heading up the Washington County sheriff's office court security operations and work with the special units division that includes chaplain services and the water, parks and trails unit.

The St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office was called at 7:24 a.m. to the 1900 block of 80th Street for a report of a person who had been shot.

Preliminary information indicates that hunters were turkey hunting in the area when one hunter shot another hunter, according to a news release from the St. Croix Sheriff's Office. The incident remains under investigation.

Sheriff Bill Hutton told the Pioneer Press that Cusick had been out scouting a hunting area Tuesday morning when he was shot.

"It's a spot that he hunts," Hutton told the Pioneer Press. "He was just hiking through today. He had no weapon on him, just walking through the area in preparation for an upcoming hunt."


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