Public Safety

Four found dead in West Bend home; sources say suspect was a former Milwaukee police officer

West Bend, Wisconsin • November 8, 2026 • By Press Pass USA

Police tape reading 'Crime Scene Do Not Cross' at a residential street with a police vehicle in the background

Photo: Times Free Press

Four people — a man, a woman and two children — were found dead Saturday inside a home in West Bend, Wisconsin, and a second girl was taken to the hospital. On Sunday, multiple law enforcement sources told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the deceased suspect was a former Milwaukee police officer.

West Bend police responded to a 911 call at about 11:47 a.m. Saturday, November 7, at a home in the 100 block of East Washington Street, where officers found the four dead inside, along with a dead dog. Police recovered a gun in the home that they believe was used in the incident.

Police said everyone found in the home was related to one another and that investigators believe the person responsible was inside the home with the victims. Authorities said there is no suspect at large and no ongoing danger to the public.

The Journal Sentinel is not naming the suspect, saying the person has yet to be formally identified by West Bend authorities. The Washington County Medical Examiner's Office has also not identified the victims or their ages. City of Milwaukee retirement records match the name of the suspect and list the former occupation as police officer, the newspaper reported. WISN 12 News in Milwaukee also reported, through multiple sources, that the suspect was a former Milwaukee police officer.

West Bend police have not confirmed specific details of what occurred or a motive. “At this time, the circumstances remain under investigation, and we are not in a position to characterize the incident or speculate about a possible motive,” Lt. Brian McAndrews said.

The Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation is assisting in the investigation. West Bend Mayor Joel Ongert described the incident as a tragedy and said he was praying for those affected.

Police included a message about domestic violence in their news release, urging anyone experiencing domestic violence — or who knows someone who is — to reach out to the domestic violence organization and shelter Friends Inc. at 262-334-5598.

West Bend is a community of about 30,000 people in Washington County, roughly 40 miles north of Milwaukee.

Sources: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Suspect in West Bend deaths a former Milwaukee police officer, sources say" (Nov. 8, 2026, full text verified); Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Four dead, one injured in West Bend shooting, gun found in home" (Nov. 7, 2026); WISN 12 News, "Sources tell WISN 12 News that the suspect among the dead was a retired Milwaukee police officer" (Nov. 8, 2026).