Police, public grateful for men who helped officer

APPLETON - Police and people commenting on social media praised two Fox Valley men who stopped to help an Appleton police officer involved in a violent fight early Saturday on the city's east side.

Appleton Police Chief Todd Thomas said a 23-year-old Appleton man attacked the officer in the 900 block of South Kensington Drive after she identified him as a suspect in the theft of cigarettes from two convenience stores. The man and the officer "fought violently for control of her firearm," Thomas said, before he took her handgun and shot her in the hip.

The suspect fired additional shots toward two men who were driving by and stopped to help the officer, hitting one of them in the chest, and then shot himself in the head, Thomas said. The suspect died at the scene.

Police initially described the two men as bystanders. Capt. Todd Freeman said that was before the scope of their role became more understood.

"Their actions were nothing short of heroic," Freeman told USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin on Sunday, "and the department and the community should be very grateful to them."

READ MORE: Suspect took gun from officer before firing

Police said the officer and the man who was shot in the chest underwent surgery at a local hospital and are recovering. Freeman said Sunday that the officer is in good condition, and that the man had been released from the hospital and is doing well.

"We're very, very fortunate that the wound was not as critical as it initially appeared," Freeman said.

Authorities haven't released the names of the officer or the men who stopped to help. The name of the 23-year-old suspect also hasn't been disclosed.

"We're going to have everything go through APD for any information right now," Outagamie County Deputy Coroner Chris Wichman said Sunday.

During a media briefing Saturday, Thomas said police "will release their names within the next couple days when it is appropriate."

"Once the names are released, we will not have any other comments on this incident until the investigation is completed," Thomas said. "The Green Bay Police Department will also not comment during the investigation."

Green Bay police are investigating the shooting at the request of Appleton police.

People took to social media to express their appreciation and support for both the officer and the men who came to her aid.

"Thankful for the service and protection of law enforcement and citizens willing to jump in and help!" Kelli Werschem of Appleton said in a Facebook post.

"Wow! What amazing citizens!! And the officer! May God bless them and the officer. I cannot even imagine how scary that must've been!!" Angela Keesling said on Facebook.

"I know the police always tell civilians to stay out of situations like this, but, yikes, with the criminal dead and the officer and one of the Good Samaritans shot, you kind of have to wonder what would have happened if no one had come to the officer's aid," Jessica Menn Anderson said on postcrescent.com.

"Stopping to help, when you don't have to, nor are you armed, is more courage than I will ever realize," added Steve Hardgrove of Fond du Lac.

Freeman said police advise people to choose the safest option when encountering a dangerous situation. He understands, though, that human nature sometimes takes over and that people will "do what is right in their heart at the moment."

"We never want to see somebody put themselves at risk unnecessarily," Freeman said, "but that comes down to an instinctual, in-the-moment decision that people have to make. We're very grateful that this person chose to involve himself in a life-threatening situation, but that's not something we're going to encourage."

Freeman said people get involved in dangerous situations, sometimes against better judgment, when they act on emotion.

"We all praise it when it turns out well and sometimes wish we could have that moment to do over when it doesn't," he said.

Police said Saturday's shooting stemmed from two grab-and-dash thefts of cigarettes, one at a Mobil convenience store on East Newberry Street and another at a MotoMart convenience store at South Kensington. The description of the suspect was similar in both thefts.

The suspect was spotted about 12:15 a.m. walking in the 900 block of South Kensington. Thomas said the suspect refused to comply with the officer's orders and at some point attacked her. During the fight, the suspect gained control of her handgun, Thomas said.

A witness, 52-year-old Mike Lodahl, told USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin that he looked out his window after hearing a commotion and saw the suspect fire three or four shots toward a white car and then shoot himself in a driveway.

Police didn't disclose how many shots were fired but said only the officer's handgun was involved.

Duke Behnke: 920-993-7176, or dbehnke@postcrescent.com; on Twitter @DukeBehnke.