Teen believed to have taken own life after deputies respond - WXOW News 19 La Crosse, WI – News, Weather and Sports |

Dunn County (WXOW) - The Dunn County Sheriff says it appears a teenager took his own life after deputies showed up at his house, responding to a complaint about loud noise.

Sheriff Dennis Smith says deputies went to a home in the Town of Tainter early this morning.   After arriving on scene, deputies suspected there was underaged drinking going on inside the home. 

The homeowners were not home at the time.  Their 19-year-old son was, but authorities say he would not come to the door to talk to them. The only other person inside the home at the time was a friend of the teen. 

Sheriff Smith says another young man tried to convince his friend to come out of the house, but was unsuccessful.  Sheriff Smith says they went to work on a securing a search warrant to get inside. 

He says after about an hour and a half, a noise was heard and the young man's friend went back into the house, and then came rushing back out saying he smelled gun powder.  Deputies then went inside and found the teen with a gunshot wound. 

He was airlifted to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.  An autopsy will be done.  The sheriff says they believe the teen took his own life.