Details slow to emerge in Krausnick death

Few details were released more than a week after a Thanksgiving night shooting when 19-year-old Jesse Krausnick of Imperial, Nebraska, was found at an Imperial residence with a gunshot wound and later died.

Law enforcement officials haven’t been releasing much information, other than the Nebraska State Patrol news release sent to medial outlets Friday, Nov. 25.

Tristan Ferguson of Imperial, also 19 and a 2021 Chase County Schools graduate, was taken into custody by Imperial police at the scene. 

Ferguson has been charged with manslaughter, use of a weapon to commit a felony, unlawful discharge of a firearm, procuring or selling alcohol to a minor, being a minor misrepresenting age to obtain liquor and acts declared unlawful — license/driving.

Ferguson bonded out of the Chase County Jail mid-afternoon on Nov. 25, after posting the 10% of his $100,000 bond.

He’ll be arraigned in January, according to county officials. A date is still being worked out.

Calling it an “overnight homicide,” the state patrol release said the Imperial Police Department and Chase County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a shooting Thursday, Nov. 24, on West 12th Street. Chase County Dispatch got the call at 11:29 p.m. 

State patrol investigator J.J. Connelly of North Platte, Nebraska, confirmed the location as 126 W. 12th St. The home is owned by Corkey Waide, who lives in Texas, and is rented to Tristan Ferguson and Kaden Schilke.

When officers arrived on scene, Krausnick, a 2022 CCS graduate, was located with a gunshot wound and transported by Imperial EMS to the Chase County Community Hospital, but died shortly after arrival.

Investigator Connelly would not release any other information, such as whether others were in the home at the time or if guns were confiscated, saying the case is “still fluid.”

“We’re still conducting interviews and investigating,” he said Monday, Nov. 28.

Chase County Attorney Arlan Wine’s office had not received any state patrol reports and have not commented on the case.

Chief Wisnieski and Sheriff Mueller both said they cannot release any other details on the incident, as the state patrol is the lead investigating agency, which the IPD requested.

Officer Jose Ruiz from the IPD responded to the scene after the Nov. 24 call, along with Sheriff’s Deputy Rob Browning.

Krausnick, the son of Wayne Krausnick and Chris Krausnick, was a freshman at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and was home on Thanksgiving break.

Funeral services for Krausnick were held Dec. 1 at Zion Lutheran Church in Imperial. 

Krausnick remembered

Three adults who worked with Krausnick through 4-H and FFA remembered him as personable and willing to help others.

As longtime club leaders, Gene and Tracy Heathers knew him well through the Silver Spurs 4-H Club, where he was active in equine activities for at least 10 years.

“He was so prone to help out others,” Gene Heathers said, adding he’s the kind of person you want in your group.

“He was good with the younger ones and a role model,” he said.

“You could always rely on Jesse. He was a good kid, and we’re all going to miss him,” Tracy Heathers said.

His Imperial FFA adviser at CCS, Jason Speck, said Krausnick was well liked by his classmates and fellow FFA members.

While in high school, Speck said, Krausnick especially enjoyed welding classes and created “some nice horse feeders.”

He, too, mentioned Krausnick’s willingness to help others.

Krausnick was the chaplain for the FFA chapter his junior year, Speck said.

In the 2022 CCS Graduation Keepsake issue, the soon-to-be-graduate wrote that his most memorable moment was “going to the National FFA in Indianapolis.”

He also played football, and was on the track and golf teams at CCS. 

CCS staff received internal communication from Superintendent Adam Lambert first thing the morning of Nov. 28 asking them to be watchful of students and/or staff who may be having a hard time with the news. 

Jesse has a younger brother in the eighth grade at CCS.

“It’s another blow to the Imperial community,” Lambert said.

“2022 has been a rough year, but we try to stay strong and continue to educate kids the best we can,” he said.