NEENAH, WI (WTAQ) – A tense hostage situation in the wake of shots being fired ended Saturday afternoon with one man dead and another man arrested in Neenah.
Neenah Police Chief Kevin Wilkinson says officers were called to Eagle Nation Cycles, 206 Main Street, for a disturbance around 9 a.m. Reports indicated that a gunman had taken several people hostage inside the building.
Wilkinson says that upon entering the building, officers learned the hostages were in immediate danger of being killed.
“Officers then attempted entry into the building to save the hostages and were met with gunfire,” Wilkinson said, according to FOX 11.
One Neenah officer was struck with a bullet in his ballistic helmet. Wilkinson says the bullet deflected off of the helmet and the officer is okay.
Police say a short time later, one man ran out of the building with a weapon in his hand. Wilkinson says that man isn’t the suspected gunman. He, however, failed to drop his weapons when officers ordered him to.
“And he was subsequently shot at by one or more officers on scene. We do not know if he was also shot at by the subject inside the building,” Wilkinson said.
Wilkinson says it remains unclear whether the victim was shot by the gunman or by police. The man later died from his injuries.
Law enforcement set up a perimeter and following several hours of negotiations the hostages were released unharmed. The gunman then gave himself up to police.
Authorities say a motive is still unknown.
However, FOX 11 spoke with Cole White, the attorney for the owner of Eagle Nation Cycles, Steve Erato. White says the gunman had sold his motorcycle to a third party. That third party was having the bike worked on at the shop. But the gunman decided he wanted the motorcycle back.
“He came in demanding his bike back and took hostages and the situation escalated from there,” White said.
White says Erato does not know the suspected gunman personally. According to White, Erato was threatened by the suspect, but not hurt.
“He was able to get into the basement of the facility and secure himself away from the main interaction,” White said. “But in a sense he was trapped down there against his will. It’s a difficult situation. It’s obviously a stressful and emotional situation. And he’s doing as well as I think can be expected under all of the circumstances.”
Because of the officer involved shooting, the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation is handling the investigation. A number of area police agencies responded and assisted at the scene.
(Additional reporting from FOX 11).
