NEENAH, Wis (WSAU-Wheeler News) Prosecutors say a man fired a pistol in a friend’s house in Neenah before he went to a motorcycle shop where he staged a hostage incident over a claim that an employee stole his bike. Five felony charges were filed Wednesday against 45-year-old Brian Flatoff of Stevens Point.
A Winnebago County judge set bond at a $500,000, and he’s due back in court Monday.
Flatoff is accused of holding several people hostage last Saturday at Eagle Nation Cycles. Police shot-and-killed a man who was said to be one of the hostages. They say 60-year-old Michael Funk refused to drop a weapon as he was running out.
Prosecutors say Flatoff spent the preceding night at his female friend’s house where he was said to be drinking all night and stumbling. He apparently got upset when she wanted to call for an ambulance, and he shot a pistol toward a wall above her head. The woman says Flatoff then talked about going to the cycle shop, and she later noticed one of her handguns missing.
Flatoff is charged with second-degree reckless endangerment, illegal firearm possession, and three counts of bail jumping.
