Man Accused Of Shooting 2 Cops In Delafield Pleads Not Guilty

DELAFIELD, WI — A man accused of shooting and injuring two police officers in Delafield Friday pleaded not guilty in Waukesha County Circuit Court. Nathanael Benton, 23, of Fargo, was bound over for trial on Monday after waiving his preliminary hearing, according to court records.

Benton's next court hearing is February 1.

Benton was charged with two counts of attempted first-degree intentional homicide, use of a dangerous weapon, and possession of a firearm by an outstate felon, repeat offender in Waukesha County. He is also wanted in Fargo, North Dakota for attempted murder, according to authorities. His cash bond was set at $1,500,000, according to online documents.

According to the criminal complaint, around 1:40 a.m., officers from the City of Delafield and Village of Hartland responded to a possible hit-and-run crash at the Holiday Inn in the City of Delafield. The complaint said officers made contact with Benton outside the hotel. He was with a 29-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man, both from Warsaw, Indiana.

According to the criminal complaint, police body cameras showed an officer frisking for weapons before the shooting. Suddenly Benton made a motion with his right arm and began to shoot at two officers, the complaint said.

One officer was shot twice in the back and once in the hip. The other officer was shot in the leg, the complaint said. One of the officers fired back as Benton ran. The injuries were described as non-life threatening.

Police in Delafield asked residents to avoid the area of Highway 83 and Gold Road and told residents to shelter in place. Benton was located near Broken Bow Court in Delafield and taken into custody without incident several hours later.