Authorities have identified John Ciza, 47, of rural Duncan, as the victim of a homicide reported on October 23, while Nathan Dohmen, 45, of Clarks, has been identified as the suspect in the killing and a subsequent confrontation involving Nebraska State Patrol troopers.
The incidents unfolded across Butler and Polk counties, prompting a response from local law enforcement and the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP). According to the information released, investigators were initially called to a reported shooting at a residence, where officers discovered Ciza deceased from multiple gunshot wounds.
Authorities said a caller contacted dispatch that morning and reported that Dohmen had allegedly killed Ciza and intended to target another person. The report prompted law enforcement to search for Dohmen as officers worked to establish his whereabouts and assess the potential threat.
The search later led officers to Butler County, where a vehicle associated with Dohmen was located. The situation escalated when a sheriff searching the area reported hearing gunshots from an unknown direction. The sheriff withdrew to a safer position, and Dohmen subsequently entered the vehicle and drove away.
Nebraska State Patrol troopers joined the pursuit, following Dohmen until he pulled into a residential property. According to the account provided, Dohmen exited the vehicle and began firing at troopers, prompting two troopers to return fire.
The circumstances surrounding the trooper-involved shooting, including the outcome of the exchange of gunfire, were not detailed in the information provided.
John Ciza Found Dead at Rural Duncan Residence
The investigation began on October 23 after local law enforcement received a report of a shooting in the area. Responding officers arrived at a residence in rural Duncan, where they found John Ciza, 47, dead inside the home.
Authorities reported that Ciza had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. His death prompted a homicide investigation and efforts to identify and locate the person suspected of carrying out the shooting.
A caller reportedly contacted dispatch that morning and identified Nathan Dohmen, 45, of Clarks, as the person alleged to have killed Ciza. The caller also warned that Dohmen might have planned to target another individual.
The reported warning raised concerns about the possibility of further violence and led authorities to search for Dohmen. Law enforcement agencies subsequently located a vehicle associated with him in Butler County, although he was not initially found at the scene.
Search in Butler County Leads to Gunfire
As officers continued searching the Butler County area, the situation became more dangerous. According to the information provided, the sheriff approached the area and began searching when he heard gunshots coming from an unknown direction.
The source of those initial gunshots was not immediately established in the account. Faced with the uncertainty surrounding the gunfire, the sheriff retreated to a safer location.
Dohmen then entered the vehicle and drove away, prompting further efforts to locate and stop him.
The incident marked a significant escalation in the search, as authorities were attempting to locate a suspect linked to a fatal shooting who had also reportedly been identified as a potential threat to another person.
Nebraska State Patrol Joins the Pursuit
The Nebraska State Patrol joined the operation as officers pursued Dohmen through the area. Troopers followed his vehicle until he pulled into a residence.
The confrontation then escalated when Dohmen exited the vehicle and began shooting at the troopers, according to the account provided.
Two Nebraska State Patrol troopers returned fire. The exchange of gunfire became the central development in the trooper-involved shooting investigation, which followed the earlier homicide in rural Duncan.
Further details about the incident, including whether anyone else was injured, the condition of Dohmen following the shooting, and the precise circumstances leading to the gunfire, were not included in the information available for this report.
Investigation Spans Butler and Polk Counties
The events on October 23 involved law enforcement activity across Butler and Polk counties, beginning with the discovery of Ciza’s body and continuing with the search for Dohmen and the subsequent confrontation with state troopers.
Investigators will need to establish a detailed timeline of the incidents, determine the circumstances surrounding Ciza’s death, and examine the events that led to the trooper-involved shooting.
The reported warning about a possible second target may also be an important part of the investigation. However, the identity of that person and whether any additional threat was substantiated were not specified in the information provided.
As with any homicide investigation, evidence gathered from the scene, witness accounts, and other investigative findings will be important in establishing what happened and determining the sequence of events.
The trooper-involved shooting also raises separate questions about the circumstances of the encounter and the use of force. Additional official information would be needed to clarify the outcome and any subsequent review.
Authorities Continue to Piece Together the Events
The identification of John Ciza and Nathan Dohmen provides key information about the homicide investigation and the pursuit that followed. However, several important details remain unclear from the initial account.
Those details include the confirmed outcome of the trooper-involved shooting, whether Dohmen was taken into custody or received medical treatment, whether anyone else was injured, and what investigators have established about the reported second target.
Authorities’ findings will be essential to providing a complete account of the events in Butler and Polk counties.
Until further information is confirmed, the circumstances surrounding the shooting involving troopers should be described cautiously, and allegations about the homicide should remain attributed to authorities rather than presented as a final judicial determination.
The case began with the discovery of a 47-year-old man dead in his home and developed into a multi-location law enforcement response involving a reported threat, a search, a pursuit, and gunfire involving Nebraska State Patrol troopers.
John Ciza’s death is at the center of the homicide investigation, while the October 23 confrontation remains a separate but connected part of the broader sequence of events. Further official updates are needed to clarify the outcome of the trooper-involved shooting and the next steps in the investigation.
