UPDATED: Shelter in place order lifted in Amherst standoff

Wausau Pilot & Review

Police in Amherst on Friday said a wanted suspect “has been located” and lifted a shelter in place order that had been in effect for a full day.

A brief update issued Friday evening from Portage County Sheriff Mike Lukas said there is no ongoing danger to the public. He did not say how or when the suspect, 32-year-old Jeffery Miller, was located, nor did he say whether Miller surrendered peacefully.

Police surrounded a home Thursday as they sought Miller, who was wanted on charges of attempted homicide of a law enforcement officer.

Nearby residents were told to shelter in place while negotiations continued in the lengthy standoff.

Five people inside the home in which Miller was found were arrested on suspicion of harboring a fugitive. After their arrest, a standoff ensued and Miller allegedly shot at police while running into the home, according to official statements.

This is a developing story. Read our earlier coverage below.

Police from multiple agencies are working together Friday to take an armed fugitive into custody, while a shelter in place order remains active for residents in Amherst.

Jeffery E. Miller, 32, is wanted on charges of attempted homicide of a law enforcement officer. Miller, of Sauk County, was located at about 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 25 at 450 Mill Ave. in the village of Amherst. Five people were apprehended by members of a tactical team but Miller retreated into the home and fired shots at police officers, according to a news release from Portage County Sheriff Mike Lukas.

As of Friday morning, Miller remains inside the home and officers are on scene. Residents in the 400 block of Mill Street and the surrounding area are urged to stay in their homes until the situation is resolved and citizens are being asked to avoid the area for safety reasons, Lukas said.

Power has been cut to area buildings as part of the effort. Special response teams from Marathon County and the Stevens Point Police Department also responded to the home.

According to the Point Plover Metro Wire, which has a reporter near the scene, Miller also caused a shelter-in-place order in Baraboo earlier this week. After fleeing an attempted traffic stop, Miller allegedly engaged officers in a high-speed pursuit that ended with stop sticks. As Miller fled on foot, he allegedly fired at deputies, causing a minor injury to one.

Miller is believed to have ties to Jueanu and Sauk counties, according to the Wisconsin State Patrol.