HUDSON, Wisconsin — St. Croix County Sheriff Deputy Kaitie Leising was shot and killed in the line of duty on May 6. The 29-year-old is being remembered by her current community and former colleagues in Pennington County, South Dakota.
"She had a contagious smile," Jenny Tumax said.
Tumax lives in Baldwin and helps police as a Spanish interpreter. Tumax says she just spoke to Deputy Leising recently and her death is a shock.
Pennington County Sheriff Brian Mueller reflected on his time spent with Deputy Leising. He says his deputies have been sharing their memories of her as a way of coping with the loss.
Sheriff Mueller had many interactions with Deputy Leising but recalled them bonding in particular over their love of being outdoors.
"She liked to hunt. So in the fall, we would tell stories about what we were hunting and where we were going," he said. "And I know for her, like me, it was more than just getting out and hunting. It was that quality time spent with people she cared for. And so we bonded over that quite a bit."
According to the Wisconsin Fraternal Order of Police, Leising's death marks the fourth law enforcement officer killed while on duty this year, and the third in the last month. Minnesota recently lost a Pope County Sheriff deputy too.
Sheriff Mueller says St. Croix County Sheriff Knudson invited their department to be a part of Deputy Leising's funeral. An announcement on funeral arrangements is expected Tuesday.
A memorial fund has been set up to support Kaitie Leising's surviving wife and child. If you'd like to contribute send donations made out to "Benefit of Deputy Leising" to WESTconsin Credit Union, PO Box 269, New Richmond, WI 54017. Contributions can also be made in person at any WESTconsin Credit Union branch.
To protect donors from potential scammers, sheriff's officials currently do not have a link set up for online donations.
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