Names released in Sparta officer-involved shooting

Man killed by deputy under criminal justice supervision

A sheriff’s deputy with more than a decade on the force has been identified as the one who pulled the trigger during the deadly police encounter in Sparta on Sunday.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice on Thursday said Monroe county deputy Jesse Murphy shot and killed 21-year-old Skyler Burnette during a confrontation in which Burnette was apparently threatening a woman with a knife.

Until that deadly conflict, Burnette had been convicted of a just a few misdemeanors.

Murphy was hired by Monroe county as a deputy in 2006.

Three Sparta police officers were also on the scene at the time of the shooting.

The state is investigating the shooting and will forward recommendation related to possible charges to the Monroe county district attorney’s office.