Oshkosh police search for clues in wake of officer’s shooting
By Jeff Bollier and Jim Collar
Gannett Wisconsin Newspapers
OSHKOSH — An Oshkosh police officer injured in a Saturday night shooting was released from Mercy Medical Center Sunday, while fellow officers “narrowed down a list of suspects” that may be responsible for the unprovoked attack.
Officer Nate Gallagher, a five-year veteran of the department, was shot in his right arm at 10:10 p.m. Saturday while standing outside his squad car near the intersection of Minnesota Street and West 17th Avenue, talking to another officer. No arrests were made as of Sunday afternoon.
Officers were in the area responding to a report of an underage drinking party.
Sgt. Steve Sagmeister said the shooting and the party appear to be unrelated.
“This came out of nowhere, totally unprovoked,” Sagmeister said. “That really raises the awareness in this instance.”
The Oshkosh Police Department’s Special Weapons and Tactics Unit conducted a house-by-house search of several blocks surrounding the site of the shooting into early Sunday morning.
Police later served a search warrant at a home on Minnesota Street. Police declined to say what evidence was found or how it related to the incident.
Plainclothes police officers in unmarked cars held a presence on Minnesota Street throughout the day.
Police said Gallagher was in good condition when admitted to the hospital on Saturday night.
Sagmeister said no one saw the shooter or where the shot came from. No description could be provided.
“That’s the bad thing, not knowing where it came from,” Sagmeister said. “All anyone did was hear it. There’s no real clue as to the direction (the shot came from) or who (fired the shot).”
The SWAT team completed its search by 5:30 a.m. Sunday and detectives began investigating the scene and gathering information. SWAT team members took firearms from at least two homes in the area, but without concluding they were used in the shooting.
The incident was the first shooting of an Oshkosh police officer in 21 years.
Terry Wesner, who lives with his wife, Pat, on the 1700 block of Minnesota Street, said he was watching television when he heard a single rifle shot.
“The sounds were right outside the house,” Terry Wesner said. “All I know is it was in the block someplace. It was enough to startle you.”
Richard Discher, a resident in the 1600 block of Arizona Street, was on his way home from work when the shooting occurred. Instead of going home, he had to go to a friend’s home until police allowed him beyond the barricades. After two hours, an officer escorted him to his front door by foot. No one was allowed to drive in the area of the investigation.
The incident is shocking for such a quiet neighborhood, Discher said.
“I’ve lived here for 10 years, and it’s always been nice,” he said. “The people are very nice — everyone says hello when you walk by.”
The incident was the first shooting of an Oshkosh police officer in 21 years.
Do inner city PDs, that suffer a higher frequency of shot-at officers, routinely go this SWAT rabid on a whole community after such an incident? I don't recall a lot of reports about such a thing.
Wow. Thanks for the bump.