Gunman ‘executes’ man at gas station, shoots undercover officer

By Web Staff

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    CALEDONIA, Wisconsin (WISN) — Investigators in Racine County say a man shot and killed another man at a gas station and fired at a driver before fleeing and eventually dying in a shootout with an undercover officer.

Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling said events unfolded starting about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Pilot Travel Center in the village of Caledonia.

Schmaling said a 32-year-old white man from Hartland approached and “viciously executed” a 22-year-old white man from Elkhorn who was putting gas in his car.

He said the shooting was captured on surveillance video.

Schmaling called the video “extremely disturbing and heart wrenching to view.”

The sheriff said the gunman then shot at another person driving through the parking lot.

That person was unhurt.

The suspect then fled the scene.

Schmaling said the man then approached a person who was filling up his car at a Mobil station about 2 miles away.

That man happened to be an undercover investigator for the sheriff’s office, in an unmarked car, Schmaling said.

He said the two exchanged gunfire.

The undercover officer shot the suspect multiple times and killed him.

Schmaling said the investigator was also shot.

He was taken to a Racine hospital, where he was conscious and alert.

The extent of his injuries were not disclosed.

A source said the suspect was attempting to carjack the undercover officer when he opened fire.

Schmaling praised the quick reactions of the undercover officer for saving additional lives.

The sheriff gave no indication as to what prompted the initial shooting.

He did not say if the suspect knew the victim or if the shooting was random.

Schmaling took no questions at his press briefing.

Multiple law enforcement agencies were called to both scenes off I-94.

One witness described seeing a “sea of people” fleeing the store.

A WISN 12 crew on the scene saw the victim’s body near one of the gas pumps.

It was covered with a sheet.

A red pickup truck and a white pickup truck appeared to be inside police tape there.

The victim appeared to be driving a silver sedan.

A trucker who declined to give her name, citing fears for her safety, said she had just pulled into the Pilot to fuel up when a man ran out of the store.

She said she then saw a truck ahead of her back up and make a U-turn to leave.

“Then, everybody starts running out of the Pilot, it’s truckers just running, sea of people, this one guy is yelling, ‘Run! Run,’ and I’m like, ‘Oh my God,'” the woman said.

She said she asked one of the people what was going on.

“He said that somebody’s in there shooting,” the woman said.

She said she did not witness any shooting or see anyone hurt.

In a statement, Pilot spokeswoman Stephanie Myers said it’s “an open investigation, we are cooperating fully with local authorities.”

The statement went on to say the “safety and well-being” of the company’s’ employees and customers “is always our main concern.”

At the Mobil gas station, police had a black SUV taped off.

A WISN 12 crew saw at least one window shot out of the SUV.

Police at that scene said there was no active threat to the community.

Investigators have not identified the shooter, victim or officer involved.

The Department of Criminal Investigations will handle the case.

Investigators remain on the scene taking photos and collecting evidence.

Highway K is closed in the area of the two gas stations.

Drivers should avoid the area.

No other details were immediately available.

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