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One killed, one injured during hostage situation in NeenahBy Cary Spivak, Bruce Vielmetti and Breann Schossow of the Journal Sentinel Updated: 8:26 p.m.
EMAIL PRINT
One person was killed and a police officer wounded Saturday during a hostage situation at a Neenah motorcycle shop.
After most of the hostages were released, one person inside the shop exited with a gun and was shot by police when he ignored demands to drop it, and died later, said Police Chief Kevin Wilkinson. He noted that investigators were still trying to sort out a confusing situation.
During a Saturday night news conference, Wilkinson would not identify the victim, the injured officer or a second suspect, who surrendered after a four-hour standoff involving hostages at Eagle Nation Cycle.
Wilkinson said the officer, who was wearing protective armor and helmet as he entered the business as part of a team trying to free the hostages, was shot in the helmet, which deflected what could have been a deadly shot. The officer was treated at a hospital and released.
The shooting of the one suspect and surrender of the other came after the attempt to free the hostages.
"Eventually, the hostages were released, after negotiations," Wilkinson said. "The subject did come out and was taken into custody."
The attorney for one of the businesses owners said a man entered about 9 a.m. demanding the return of a motorcycle he had sold to another person, who in turn had brought it to the shop for some repairs.
Neenah Mayor Dean Kaufert said the suspect had fired about 30 shots. Wilkinson said he couldn't estimate the total number of rounds fired between the suspect and police, and possibly another person inside the business.
He said the matter would be reviewed by the state Division of Criminal Investigation, which investigates officer-involved shootings.
More than 70 officers from more than a dozen agencies responded to the incident, Wilkinson said.
When police learned hostages were taken, the SWAT team was activated.
The standoff was prompted by a man who changed his mind about selling his motorcycle, a Green Bay lawyer and friend of the owner of Eagle Nation Cycles told the Journal Sentinel. Cole White, pieced together this version of events based on texts and calls Steven Erato sent as he hid in the basement of the shop:
Erato was working on motorcycle Saturday when he heard a commotion and saw an intruder firing shots. Erato went to the basement. At 9:31 he texted White, "We have an active shooter situation going on at eagle nation. I am hiding in the basement"
White said the gunman had sold a motorcycle to another person, who brought it to Eagle Nation for repairs. The original owner wanted it back, he said.
"This this guy came to the shop because he wanted his bike back," White said, stressing that his information was secondhand. "He wanted the money and the bike ... These people (at Eagle Nation) had nothing to do with the transaction."
Erato was not injured, White said.
