Fond du Lac County Deputy cleared of wrong doing in incident that left resident dead and sheriff’s office K9 critically injured

PHOTO *** Fond du Lac County Sheriff Ryan Waldschmidt interacts with K9 Iro during a press conference announcing Iro’s recovery as well as no wrong doing found on Iro’s handler, Deputy Blaine Evans, in the death of Kyle Massie in a critical incident last October***

Fond du Lac County Sheriff Ryan Waldschmidt and Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney held a press conference to announce the Wisconsin Department of Justice has released their findings in regards to the critical incident that took place in the 500 block of Western Avenue in the City of Fond du Lac on October 14, 2023.

During the incident, the City of Fond du Lac Police Department were responding just before 6 AM to a Drury Place address where a woman had said she was sexually assaulted and held at gun point for much of the night. The woman had managed to escape the man who was holding her against her will and call for help.

While the city officers were setting up a perimeter, a Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office K9 Deputy passed by the area and noted the suspects vehicle leaving the area.

Officer Blaine Evans attempted to stop the suspect but the man failed to stop for the officers lights and siren.

When Deputy Evans noticed the man returning to the residence where the assault occurred, he attempted to stop the vehicle by performing a pit maneuver on the vehicle to try and get it to spin out. In doing so, the driver sped up and ended up crashing into the garage door, ending up inside the garage. It was at this point Deputy Evans saw the man exit his vehicle with an AR style rifle.

After refusing commands to drop the weapon, Deputy Evans fired two shots at the suspect as he released his K9 (Iro) on the suspect.

Deputy Evans and the suspect continue to exchange gunfire and as K9 Iro enters the garage, the suspect turned his gun at Iro and shot the K9 multiple times.

While Deputy Evans repositioned, the suspect got back in his vehicle and backed out of the garage, striking Deputy Evans’ squad car.

As other officers convened on the location, a single gunshot was observed coming from the suspects car. It was at this point that the suspect had suffered a self inflicted gunshot wound.

As Deputy Evans tended to K9 Iro who lay wounded in the garage, other officers attempted life saving efforts on the suspect who had succumbed to his injuries which included two non lethal gunshot wounds that were from the shoot-out with Deputy Evans, and the fatal self inflicted shot the suspect gave himself.

Deputy Evans, along with the help of other K9 officers tended to K9 Iro and rushed him to Blue Pearl Pet Hospital in Appleton where he underwent emergency surgery for his wounds.

Iro would go on to recover with months of rehabilitation and is expected to continue his duties on The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office.

The results of the post incident investigation, done by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, has come to the conclusion that no criminal charges will be brought against Deputy Evans and that he acted in a justified manner to protect himself, the victim, other law enforcement and the community.

As a secondary effect of the incident, residents of the community of Fond du Lac County came together in an outpouring of support for K9 Iro, raising money to help pay for the care that was needed.

Words spoke by Deputy Evans during the rescue of K9 Iro at the scene sum up the moment when Deputy Evans said to Iro, “You saved Dad, and now we have to save you.”