Shots Fired Incident

NEWS RELEASE

SHOTS FIRED INCIDENT

On March 17, 2018 at approximately 2:20 a.m. the Sauk County Communications Center received a report of gunshots in the area of Fox Hill Court in the Town of Delton.  Shortly after, a homeowner called the Communications Center and reported that a male suspect had attempted to forcibly enter his residence.  The caller stated he had discharged a firearm and that he believed he may have shot the suspect.  Sauk County Sheriff’s Office Deputies immediately responded to the residence.

The initial investigation revealed that Richard John Szarfinski, age 41 from Madison, WI, was staying at a nearby residence.  Through unknown means, Szarfinski had lacerated his hand inside that residence and then departed the residence through a window.  Szarfinski then traveled through a wooded area to the rear of the caller’s residence.  Szarfinski attempted to gain entry into the caller’s residence and was on the rear deck of the home.  The caller observed someone attempting to enter his home, armed himself with a handgun, and confronted Szarfinski.  The caller discharged the handgun in an action described by the caller as “warning shots”.  Szarfinski fled the area.  Blood located at the caller’s residence was later determined to have originated from the pre-existing hand laceration and was not the result of gunfire.  

A neighboring homeowner located Szarfinski rummaging through a vehicle at his residence and escorted Szarfinski toward Deputies.  Szarfinski appeared to be under the influence of a controlled substance and was treated at the scene by the Dells-Delton Ambulance Service staff for the hand injury.  He had not been struck by any of the rounds discharged by the homeowner.  Szarfinski was arrested for an outstanding felony arrest warrant.  Criminal charges related to this incident are yet to be determined as the investigation is ongoing.  

The homeowner who discharged the handgun is not being identified at this time.  

This incident remains under investigation.

Sheriff Chip Meister