Joseph Jakubowski
Law enforcement officials are expressing relief that fugitive Joseph Jakubowski was peacefully captured early Friday morning, bringing a quiet end to a manhunt that set much of the state on edge for the past week.
Jakubowski was found in a farm field in Vernon County late Thursday night, in what law enforcement officials have described as a “primitive” camp site. After being surrounded by police overnight, he was approached and arrested just before six Friday morning without any incident or injuries.
With him were some of the guns he’s suspected of stealing from a Janesville store, a samurai-style sword, and a copy of an anti-government, anti-religion manifesto he mailed to President Donald Trump. FBI officials said they are still investigating the whereabouts of the rest of the guns he’s accused of taking from Armageddon Supplies.
Speaking at a news conference Friday afternoon, Janesville Police Chief David Moore said they could not have asked for a better ending to the nine-day search. “No one was hurt, no officers were harmed, and Mr. Jakubowski was taken into custody without any injuries,” he said.
Rock County Sheriff Bob Spoden said the fact that Jakubowski was arrested without incident was “what we had hoped for, that’s what we had prayed for.”
The search for Jakubowski started after the burglary and discovery of his manifesto, which had law enforcement officials worried he was planning to carry out a mass shooting on a public target. “Make no mistake,” Moore said. “What could have happened here was a mass shooting…that was our concern.”
Moore credited the citizen who called in a tip Thursday night, which led law enforcement to where Jakubowski was camping. “It ended because a citizen gave a clue…time and time again across this nation, we solve major crimes because a citizen will step up and offer a clue,” he said.
Jakubowski is expected to face multiple felony charges in Rock County, along with federal firearms charges.