WATERLOO – The Monroe County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the fatal shooting of a 14-year-old female.
On July 21, 2025, at approximately 1:34 p.m., the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department and Monroe County EMS were dispatched to 5925 State Route 3 in Waterloo, Illinois, for a medical emergency involving the girl.
Within minutes, Monroe County EMS and the first responding deputy arrived on scene and immediately began life-saving measures, including CPR. The juvenile was transported to a St. Louis-area hospital, where despite continued efforts, she was pronounced deceased.
The victim has been identified as Emma Schultheis of Prairie Du Rocher.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Department said Emma died as a result of a gunshot wound. A firearm was located and secured at the scene. The Illinois State Police Crime Scene Unit responded to assist with processing the scene.
This remains an active investigation, and no further details will be released at this time. However, we can confirm that there are no suspects at large and no threat to the community stemming from this incident.
On behalf of Sheriff Neal Rohlfing, we respectfully request that the public allow time and space for the grieving process and honor the privacy of those affected by this tragedy.
We are aware of unverified information and rumors circulating online. We urge the public to refrain from sharing speculation, as doing so can impede the investigation and cause additional harm to those impacted.
Additional information will be released upon the conclusion of the investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department.