20 year old WI off-duty deputy shoots 6

[Greybeard]

Pretty sad news from up north ...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071008/ap_ ... n_shooting

CRANDON, Wis. - An off-duty sheriff's deputy went on a shooting rampage early Sunday at a home where seven young people had gathered for pizza and movies, killing six and critically injuring the other before authorities fatally shot him, officials said.

The gunman, Tyler Peterson, was 20 years old and worked full-time as a Forest County deputy sheriff and part-time as a Crandon police officer, said Police Chief John Dennee.

Three of the victims were students at the small town's high school, and three were recent graduates, a school official said. The gunman may have graduated from the same high school.

Peterson was not working at the time of the shooting, Sheriff Keith Van Cleve said.

The survivor was in critical condition Sunday night at a hospital in nearby Marshfield, according to a nursing supervisor. A Crandon police officer who fired back was treated for minor injuries and released.

Gary Bradley, mayor of the city of about 2,000, said earlier Sunday that a sniper killed the suspect, but Van Cleve would not confirm that officers shot the suspect.

Peterson was killed Sunday afternoon eight miles north of Crandon in the rural town of Argonne, Dennee said.

The circumstances of the shooting were hazy Sunday and it wasn't immediately clear what the gunman's motive was, but the mother of a 14-year-old victim said the suspect may have been a jealous boyfriend. The shooting occurred in a white, two-story duplex about a block from downtown Crandon.

"It was a pizza and movie party," Dennee said.

Three of the victims were Crandon High School students, said schools Superintendent Richard Peters, and the other three had graduated within the past three years.

"There is probably nobody in Crandon who is not affected by this," Peters said, adding that students would be especially affected. "They are going to wake up in shock and disbelief and a lot of pain."

Peters did not know whether Peterson had also graduated from the 300-student high school. But Crandon resident Karly Johnson, 16, said that she knew the gunman and that he had helped her in a tech education class.

"He graduated with my brother," she said. "He was nice. He was an average guy. Normal. You wouldn't think he could do that."

One of the dead was 14-year-old Lindsey Stahl, said her mother, Jenny Stahl, 39.

She said her daughter called her Saturday night and asked whether she could sleep over at a friend's house. Jenny Stahl agreed.

"I'm waiting for somebody to wake me up right now. This is a bad, bad dream," the weeping mother said. "All I heard it was a jealous boyfriend and he went berserk. He took them all out."

Dennee declined comment on whether Peterson had a romantic relationship with any of the victims.

A second victim was Bradley Schultz, 20, a third-year student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee who was home to visit his friends, said his aunt, Sharon Pisarek.

"We still don't have many details, but from what they've told us, there was a girl next to him and he was covering her, protecting her," she said, sobbing. "He was loved by everybody. He was everybody's son. Senseless."

Marci Franz, 35, who lives two houses south of the duplex, said gunshots awoke her.

"I heard probably five or six shots, a short pause and then five or six more," she said. "I wasn't sure if it was gunfire initially. I thought some kids were messing around and hitting a nearby metal building."

Then she heard eight louder shots and tires squealing, she said.

"I was just about to get up and call it in, and I heard sirens," she said. "There's never been a tragedy like this here. There's been individual incidents, but nothing of this magnitude."

Her husband, David Franz, 36, said it was hard to accept that someone in law enforcement committed such an act.

"The first statement we said to each other was, how did he get through the system?" David Franz said. "How do they know somebody's background, especially that young? It is disturbing, to say the least."

The sheriff said he would meet with state Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen on Monday morning to discuss the case. Dennee said the state Department of Criminal Investigation will handle the case because the suspect was a deputy and officer.

The Crandon School District called off classes Monday.

The community, about 225 miles north of Milwaukee in an area known for logging and outdoor activities, is facing a trying time but is pulling together, Bradley said.

"We are a strong community. We always have been," he said. "This is agonizing, but we will prevail."

___

Associated Press writer Dinesh Ramde in Milwaukee contributed to this report.

[frankie_the_yankee]

Unbelieveable! What a tragic event. All I can think of right now is to pray for the victims and their families.

[NguyenVanDon]

How is a 20 yrs old even allowed to possess a handgun and qualify to become a LEO at that age?!?! Am I'm missing something here???

RIP to the victims and their family. Prayers goes out to them...

[AEA]

I wondered that as well.......

[lanternlad]

These are the people charged with protecting us. Well, I feel safer.

[longtooth]

How is a 20 yrs old even allowed to possess a handgun and qualify to become a LEO at that age?!?! Am I'm missing something here???

RIP to the victims and their family. Prayers goes out to them...

Every stated sets their own ages for gun ownership & LE employment.
Evidently WI is less than 21 as it is in Texas.
Outside possibility the paper got it wrong too.

[AEA]

Wait a minute.......

For some reason 21 sticks in my head as a Federal Law for gun ownership........

Am I dreaming, is this not so?

[seamusTX]

For some reason 21 sticks in my head as a Federal Law for gun ownership........

You have to be at least 21 to purchase a handgun from an FFL.

There's no strict federal law on possession related to age.

Not too long ago, many jurisdictions allowed 18-year-olds to be cops. Some still do if the person has a degree in criminal justice or a related field, or is in the military or honorably discharged.

- Jim

[Keith B]

I was a LEO (reserve, but carried a commission) 25 years ago. I started at 18 and resigned at 22 when I moved away with my regular job. Our department issued side arms, but at that time you could buy your own. I still have my S&W Model 66 that was my first duty weapon. Many jurisdictions (especially Sheriff's departments) use reserve deputies without any formal training other than local OJT.

On having the gun, remember, you only have to be 21 to purchase, not posses a handgun.

[AEA]

For some reason 21 sticks in my head as a Federal Law for gun ownership........

You have to be at least 21 to purchase a handgun from an FFL.

There's no strict federal law on possession related to age.

- Jim

Thanks Jim.......I guess I was thinking requirements for CHL instead......DOH!

[TXGLOCK23]

Prayers sent up for all for all!

[Keith B]

I have not bene able to find anything that says he used a handgun. Does anyone have an article that states this?

[seamusTX]

I have not bene able to find anything that says he used a handgun.

I just read about six articles, and none of them say what kind of weapon was used. Here's the most complete article: http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/10299502.html

- Jim

[seamusTX]

AR-15: http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/10/08/wiscon ... index.html

- Jim

[Mithras61]

I have not bene able to find anything that says he used a handgun.

I just read about six articles, and none of them say what kind of weapon was used. Here's the most complete article: http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/10299502.html

- Jim

I saw an article on The New York Times that says he used an automatic weapon similar to ones used by the Crandon PD. I don't think Crandon PD has automatics (FWIW, my parents live about 25 miles from there, I grew up near there, and my Mom works at a nursing home in Crandon, WI), but I'd guess it's an AR-15 or similar. That same article says that about 30 rounds were fired, including several fired at a police cruiser responding to a "shots fired" call.