Local
West Bend Police Withhold Details in East Washington Street Deaths as Community Mourns
Four people, including two children, and a dog were found dead in a West Bend home on Nov. 7. Police have identified one of the deceased as a retired Milwaukee police officer but are withholding the identities of the other victims, citing Marsy's Law and the ongoing investigation.
WEST BEND, Wis. â Investigators are still piecing together what happened inside a home on East Washington Street, where four people â including two children â and a dog were found dead on Saturday, Nov. 7. A fifth person, a girl, was taken to a hospital and is reported to be in stable condition.
West Bend police were called to the residence just before noon that day. At a news conference, Lt. Brian McAndrews said everyone in the home was connected to one another. Officers recovered a gun from inside the house that they believe was involved in the deaths.
On Monday, police identified one of the deceased as 54-year-old David Slawnikowski. The Milwaukee Police Department confirmed that Slawnikowski served as a Milwaukee officer from Nov. 16, 1998, until July 10, 2012, when his employment ended due to what the department described as an "ordinary disability retirement." Sources indicate Slawnikowski is considered a suspect in the case, and that the suspect was among the dead.
Police have declined to release the names or ages of the other three people who died, or of the girl who was hospitalized. In a statement Monday night, the department cited "respect for the victims, their loved ones, and, most importantly, for the protection of the surviving victim, consistent with the constitutional privacy protections established under Marsy's Law." The department has also not released when the deaths are believed to have occurred, whether all of the deaths were caused by gunfire, the severity of the surviving girl's injuries, or whether the incident was a murder-suicide.
In response to requests for body camera footage, surveillance video, 911 calls, prior calls for service, investigative reports, and the cause and manner of death, West Bend police said Tuesday that the information already shared is all they are prepared to provide. The department said the records could compromise the active and ongoing investigation.
The Milwaukee Police Department said it no longer maintains employment records for Slawnikowski because the city's retention schedule calls for such records to be kept for eight years.
On Sunday, dozens of people left flowers, balloons, candles, and candy on the property in memory of the victims. The vigil has continued to grow. A community fundraiser is scheduled for Nov. 29 at the Washington County Fairgrounds, with organizers directing donors to a fundraising page for the Harris-Jordan family.
Living Word Lutheran High School released a statement Monday saying its focus is on supporting students and staff amid the tragedy. The school said it has communicated directly with families and staff about additional counselors, pastoral support, and other services, and that it is refraining from sharing details about specific families involved.
Anyone with information about the investigation is asked to contact the West Bend Police Department at (262) 335-5000. Those in need of support can reach the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 800-799-7233, texting START to 88788, or chatting online.