BARRON COUNTY, Wis. — A road that connects two close-knit western Wisconsin communities now carries the names of two fallen police officers who will forever unite Cameron and Chetek in tragedy.
On Tuesday the former County Highway SS was designated the Officer Emily Breidenbach and Officer Hunter Scheel Memorial Highway. The two were fatally shot along the roadside on April 8, 2023, by a suspect during a traffic stop to serve a warrant.
Former colleagues and the families of Breidenbach and Scheel gathered not far from the shooting scene in Barron County to dedicate a sign put up in the name of the two officers, who were both beloved in their small communities. It was far from a celebration - more a somber reminder of loss, and a determination to never forget.
"It's rough," Chetek Police Chief Ron Ambrozaitis told WEAU News. "What's the hardest part is just 50 yards from where they were killed. So it is hard for us to be here, but it's a good I'm grateful for the county to bring this to this to us and give them this honor."
"It goes further than just Cameron or Chetek," explained Cameron Police Chief Adam Steffen. "You know, our whole county basically was in on this. You know, and I can guarantee you that I was telling somebody else here that we got it."
"We still get letters every day," he added.
Both chiefs say their departments are still struggling every day to cope with the loss of Emily and Hunter. Both feel the new signs that mark the highway will help both their officers and the community connect and heal together.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ), Breidenbach and Scheel pulled over a vehicle on April 8 knowing that the driver of the SUV was wanted on a warrant for failing to pay child support. Authorities said 50-year-old Glenn Douglas Perry was also exhibiting concerning behavior following a contentious divorce.
During an encounter on the side of County Road SS near the intersection with Highway 8, Perry fatally shot the 32-year-old Breidenbach and the 23-year-old Scheel. The suspect was also struck by gunfire and died later at a local hospital.
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