One person is dead and two more were injured in a Thursday morning shooting at Pine Grove Cemetery in Wausau.
Wausau Police Chief Ben Bliven did confirm that one of the three victims was dead at the scene when officers arrived.
“Officers responded to the scene and found three shooting victims. One victim was dead on the scene and two others were transported to a local hospital for treatment. We’re not going to comment on the condition of those two individuals at this time. But they did get transported to the hospital.”
The suspect who shot the three victims did try to flee the scene shortly after officers arrived. But he was taken into custody this morning by the Wausau Police Department.
“Reports from callers indicated a possible suspect fleeing to the east of the cemetery. Officers and deputies arrived quickly and set up a perimeter. They were able to quickly locate the individual and took the suspect into custody without any further incident. The male suspect is a Schofield resident,” says Bliven.
The suspect was identified as a former employee of the Pine Grove Cemetery by Chief Bliven. “The victims were either employees of the Pine Grove Cemetary or were related to an employee.”
Everest Metro Police Chief Clay Schultz says the shooting may also be tied on a fire at an apartment in Schofield near where the suspect lived.
“We do believe that the fire in Schofield is suspicious. However, it is very early in the investigative stage and as you know the scene is still very fluid. We did get a report while on the scene that there was a gas leak at a nearby vacant building. Precautionary measures were taken and we did an evacuation for the safety of the public.”
The suspect is expected to make his initial appearance on Friday in Marathon County.
Bliven also adds that if anyone in the community has any information on the joint investigation they can contact either the Wausau Police Department, the Everest Metro Police Department, or Crimestoppers.
WSAU