APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – It’s been nearly a month since Appleton firefighter Mitch Lundgaard was shot and killed.
The deadly shooting happened at the Valley Transit Center in downtown Appleton. At the time, Lundgaard was responding to a medical call at the bus station.
The deadly shooting has many concerned about the safety of the area.
Valley Transit Center General Manager Ron McDonald tells FOX 11 they’re now reviewing security after that fatal incident.
“This was a horrific event, and I hope we never experience it again.”
McDonald told the Fox Cities Transit Commission, he’s already talking with Appleton Police.
“I wanted to start the conversation, and assure you that there are additional conversations moving forward from here.”
McDonald says that is standard procedure, especially after an incident of this magnitude that shook an entire community.
“After talking about it over the last, you know, week or so, it’s got a pretty bad reputation,” said one of the Fox Cities Transit commissioners about the center at the May 28 meeting.
A possible improvement? More officers in the area.
“I’m not sure if there’s any way we, as a committee, make a motion to get some sort of investigation into a transit officer; a beat cop that maybe just walks around downtown,” the commissioner said. “I mean, maybe there is one but, maybe in general, a little bit more presence.”
McDonald told members he’s going over some of those safety concerns with police.
“We do have some additional meetings coming up with various stakeholders, and we’ll see where it goes. We’ll be bringing more information back to you.”
Fox Valley Transit Commissioner Rick Detienne also raised concerns about the security guard being unarmed.
“When we talked about security, and the new service we’re using, I think we talked about whether or whether not this guard actually was armed, and I believe he was not. Am I correct?”
“That is correct,” McDonald confirmed.
The city’s attorney, however, says state law makes it illegal for a security guard to carry a gun at Valley Transit.
“That applies to all members of the public, excluding law enforcement officers, so at this point, it would be illegal for them to have a weapon.”
But other members of the commission believe, armed or not, a security guard alone will no longer do.
“I’m not sure an armed guard is just enough, in terms of security going forward, because it’s only going to grow – Fox Cities is going to grow, Fox Valley Transit hopefully will grow, and I think it’s something that the police department and us should maybe even think a little more seriously about.”
Transit commissioners FOX 11 spoke with say they’re waiting for the investigation to be completed before deciding how to move forward with any security changes.
