Wisconsin DA and DOJ Rule Marinette Officers Justified in Fatal Shooting of Armed Homicide Suspect Near Peshtigo
PESHTIGO, WISCONSIN — The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) and Marinette County District Attorney’s Office have ruled that two Marinette police officers were justified in using deadly force when they shot and killed 23-year-old homicide suspect Andrew Collamore after a multi-county police chase ended near Peshtigo in late August.
Both agencies determined the officers acted lawfully and professionally when confronted by an armed and dangerous suspect who lunged at them with a knife.
The Chase and Deadly Confrontation
According to state investigators, the incident began on August 29 when police pursued Collamore, who was wanted in connection with a homicide in Dane County.
Troopers spotted the suspect driving a stolen vehicle on U.S. Highway 41 and attempted to stop him. Officers deployed a tire-deflation device near Schacht Road in the Town of Peshtigo, successfully disabling the vehicle.
After crossing the median, the car came to rest on the southbound side of the highway.
When officers approached, Collamore exited the passenger side holding a knife, ignoring multiple commands to drop the weapon.
“Body- and dashcam footage showed Collamore armed with a knife, referencing ‘Area 51’ and saying, ‘You were supposed to execute me,’ before running or lunging toward Officer De Los Santos with the knife,” investigators wrote in the DOJ report.
At that point, Officers Parker De Los Santos and Andrew Bonjean fired their weapons, while Marinette County Sheriff Randy Miller attempted to use a Taser. Collamore was struck several times and pronounced dead at the scene.
Officials Confirm Use of Force Was Justified
The Marinette County District Attorney, DeShea Morrow, issued her final decision after reviewing the Wisconsin DOJ Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) findings, concluding that both officers acted in self-defense and in accordance with their training.
“It is clear that the officers were justified in using deadly force to respond to the deadly force that was threatened against them,” Morrow wrote in her ruling. “They responded with professionalism and within proper legal standards under extremely difficult circumstances.”
The DOJ report, released publicly, supported Morrow’s findings and noted that officers made multiple attempts to de-escalate the situation before firing.
Suspect Linked to Dane County Murder
Collamore was the primary suspect in the murder of 70-year-old Thomas Muckler, whose body was found inside a Mazomanie cabin on August 28.
Authorities say Collamore had been squatting on the property, killed Muckler, and stole his vehicle, sparking a statewide manhunt that ended in the Marinette County confrontation less than 24 hours later.
The Dane County Sheriff’s Office had issued a “be on the lookout” alert for Muckler’s vehicle on the morning of the shooting.
Community and Law Enforcement Response
The shooting drew heavy law enforcement response, with parts of Highway 41 shut down for hours as investigators processed the scene.
The Wisconsin DOJ collected and reviewed bodycam footage, dashcam video, and physical evidence, confirming that Collamore initiated the final confrontation and that officers’ actions were legally justified.
“The officers did what they were trained to do when faced with an imminent deadly threat,” DOJ Special Agent Jay Yerges said in the investigative summary.
Both officers have since returned to full active duty, and the case is now officially closed.
This ruling concludes one of Wisconsin’s most closely watched officer-involved shootings of the year, affirming that police acted within the law in confronting a homicide suspect who posed a clear and immediate danger. For continued updates on Wisconsin crime and law enforcement reports, visit ChicagoMusicGuide.com.