Ashland County Deputy Shoots, Kills Teen; Mom Says It Was Murder

ODANAH, WI — A sheriff's deputy shot an 8th grade boy to death in Odanah while responding to a report of a male armed with a knife near Maple Street, the authorities said, and the boy's mother said he was murdered.

An Ashland County deputy shot the knife-wielding 14-year-old on Wednesday as he walked in the Lake Superior Chippewa reservation, the state Department of Justice said Thursday. He was declared dead at a hospital in Ashland.

The deputy involved in the shooting was not hurt, sheriff's officials said.

Bad River Band Chairman Robert Blanchard, the leader of the tribe, identified the teen as Jason Pero and questioned why the deputy used deadly force.

The DOJ is collecting evidence and plans to give its reports to the county district attorney's office, hopefully within a month.

Jason's mother, Holly Gauthier, told Duluth station WDIO-TV the shooting wasn't justified. She said Jason was home sick from school that day and was staying with his grandparents.

Jason's grandfather, Alan Pero, said his grandson "never had one mean bone in his body."

While state investigators said a knife was recovered at the scene, Pero's family questioned whether the boy had a knife.

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