May 2 (UPI) — Three people died, including the gunman, and another person was seriously injured in a shooting at a casino complex run by the Oneida Indian Nation near Green Bay, Wis., on Saturday night.
About 7:30 p.m. CDT, the Brown County Sheriff’s Office said authorities responded to reports of an active shooter at the Duck Creek Restaurant inside the Oneida Casino/Radisson Hotel & Conference Center in Ashwaubenon.
The Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, which has its own police department, developed the the complex on its property on the western side of the Green Bay area. It is described on its website as the state’s premier gaming entertainment destination.
The suspect had ties to the Oneida casino, Brown County Lt. Kevin Pawlak said at a news conference just after midnight, adding “it appears there’s some relationship that had to do with employment.”
“He was targeting a specific victim who was not there, but he decided to still shoot some of the victim’s friends or co-workers, it appears,” Pawlak said.
Law enforcement officials killed the suspect outside the restaurant.
The wounded person was transported at a Milwaukee hospital, which is about 120 miles south of Gren Bay, Pawlak said.
The Irene Moore Activity Center and all casinos will remain closed until further notice, Oneida Casino posted on it website.
Robert Hesson, who was attending a friend’s birthday party in a banquet room, told the Green Bay Press-Gazette that staff rushed in and screamed at them to get out.
At the time he didn’t hear shot but later he herd them in the parking lot.
“I know no place is immune to this, but now it’s hit home,” Hesson said. “It’s sad and it’s disgusting, all at the same time,” he said.
Max Westphal, who was playing blackjack with a group of friends, said was announcement came over a loudspeaker that people should evacuate.
“All of a sudden a huge flurry of gunshots. Between 10 and 30 gunshots,” Westphal told the newspaper. “All you could smell outside was gun powder.”
The Oneida Police Department has requested the sheriff’s office to investigate the double homicide and attempted homicides, and the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation to investigate the officer-involved shooting of the suspect, according to a news release by the sheriff’s office.
The names of the suspect, victims and officers involved will not be released Sunday.
Gov. Tony Evers posted on Twitter: “Kathy [his wife] and I were devastated to hear about the shooting at the Oneida Casino complex tonight. Our hearts, thoughts, and support go out to the Oneida Nation, the Ashwaubenon and Green Bay communities, and all those affected by this tragedy.”
