Death Investigation in Portage County, Wis.

VILLAGE OF AMHERST, Wis. - The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) is conducting a death investigation in the Village of Amherst, Wis. that occurred on the afternoon of Friday, July 26, 2024.

On the afternoon of Thursday, July 25, 2024, law enforcement officers from the Portage County Sheriff's Office tactical team, the Stevens Point/Plover tactical team and the Marathon County Sheriff's Office tactical team executed a search warrant at a residence in the 400 block of Mill Avenue in the Village of Amherst, Portage County Wis., as well as an arrest warrant for Jeffrey E. Miller, 32, who was wanted for an incident that occurred in Sauk County, Wis. on Tuesday, July 23, 2024. In this earlier incident, Miller engaged in a high speed pursuit, crashed his vehicle, and shot at and injured a law enforcement officer.

When tactical teams arrived on scene to execute these warrants, Miller opened fire from the attic of the residence. Law enforcement safely removed several occupants from the property and a standoff ensued with Miller. Law enforcement gave multiple verbal commands to Miller to exit the residence and deployed gas into the residence, however, Miller did not respond and continued to fire a weapon at law enforcement officers periodically throughout the standoff. Throughout the standoff, multiple tactical teams responded to assist with the attempted safe apprehension of Miller.

On the afternoon of Friday, July 26^th, 2024, law enforcement entered the residence and located Miller, who was deceased, with a firearm near his body. No law enforcement discharged a firearm in the course of the incident.

After completion of the autopsy, preliminary results indicate Miller died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

DCI is leading this investigation and are assisted by the Wisconsin State Patrol Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Wood County Sheriff's Office, and a DCI Crime Response Specialist. All involved law enforcement are fully cooperating with DCI during this investigation.

DCI is continuing to review evidence and determine the facts of this incident and will turn over investigative reports to the Portage County District Attorney when the investigation concludes.

Please direct all media inquiries to Wisconsin DOJ.