APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) – “Today has been a difficult day. There will be many more difficult days to come.”
Appleton Police Chief Todd Thomas said during a Thursday afternoon press conference where he identified the fallen Appleton firefighter as Mitch Lundgaard.
Lundgaard, a fourteen year veteran of the Appleton Fire Department was struck by gunfire along with a female bystander and an Appleton Police officer during a medical assistance call Wednesday at the Valley Transit Center on East Washington.
Appleton Fire Chief Jeremy Hansen says Lundgaard had a wife and three young children.
“He held the rank of firefighter inspector, he was also a driver engineer and was enrolled in the in-house company officer program.”
“This has been a trying 24-hours for our department and our community.”
Wednesday evening, Appleton police and fire personnel were initially called to assist a 47-year-old male that was having a medical emergency which Thomas described as a seizure.
Police say the man arrived on a bus and they believe that he is from the Wausau area.
Thomas says after receiving medical attention, the individual displayed a handgun and the incident escalated into shots being fired.
“The male starting walking towards the library and at some point, the male pulled a small handgun and began to open fire.”
Lundgaard was struck and had to be transported to an Appleton hospital where he later died from his injuries.
“The efforts by the ThedaCare Emergency room staff were nothing left than extraordinary,” Hansen said holding back tears.
The 47-year-old male was transported to a local hospital where he died from his injuries, according to officials.
The Appleton police officer was released from the hospital earlier today and the female is in stable condition.
The investigation is being led by the Green Bay Police Department.
