SIXTH HUNTER DIES FROM SHOOTING INCIDENT

WAOW - Wausaw ^ | Nov 22, 2004

[drt1]

Yeah, sorry to have been so negative but . . . Sheeesh - It has not been an uplifting week and definitely a relative downer after 11/02.

[quietolong]

You did ok!

From Ch 18

Shooting Spree: Sixth Hunter Dies

Marshfield
Nov 22, 2004

Denny Drew died on Monday night at St. Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield. Drew was 55 years old. He was from Rice Lake. He was among the eight people wounded on Sunday afternoon. Authorities say it all started after a hunter was told to leave a tree stand on private property. They say Chai Vang climbed down from the tree and started shooting. Five of the victims died at the scene. Robert Crotteau and his son, Joey were killed along with Al Laski, Mark Roidt and Jessica Willers. Drew was among three others who were wounded. The other two are still in the hospital. Vang was arrested in the case and could be charged with murder. He's from St. Paul, Minnesota.

Twenty-year-old Joey Crotteau died along with his father.

Robert Crotteau 42

Denny Drew died Monday night.

Mark Roidt was among those killed. He was 28.

Al Laski died. He was 43.

Mother Says Son Loved to Hunt

Barron County
Nov 22, 2004

The mother of one of the victims of Sunday's shooting is trying to take comfort in the fact her son died doing something he loved. "I don't know how I feel right now," says Karen Roidt, whose son Mark Roidt died. "I just don't know how I feel right now. I just hope justice is done." Karen says her son loved to go hunting with his father. Mark's friends say he was a fun-loving guy who was always upbeat. "It was just a senseless crime," says Karen. "He doesn't know how many lives have been affected, not just the eight families of the victims."

Community Reacts to Shooting

Rice Lake
Nov 22, 2004

Sunday's shooting in Sawyer County is hitting the Rice Lake community hard. All of the victims were well-known and well-liked in Rice Lake. "Horror, just gut-wrenching horror," says Rebecca Olson. "Who would believe something like this would ever happen? It's awful."

"You hear the names of the people who didn't make it out of the woods and this is a small town, and I did, I knew them all, and it's a terrible thing," says Dan Organ.

Chip Klabough says he's hunted in the Birchwood area and knows the territory well. "There's a ton of public land to hunt on, so why would you have to have an argument about private land or anything -- I don't comprehend it," says Klabough.

Other hunters News 18 talked to say there have been disputes between hunters and land owners in the past, and they say they are surprised something like this didn't happen earlier.

From Ch 13

Sixth Shooting Victim Dies
November 22, 2004
Andrew Fefer

The Sawyer County sheriff says there are thousands of acres of public land in that area available for hunting, but the dispute took place at midday Sunday on four-hundred acres of private land.

When the landowner saw 36-year-old Chai Vang in a tree stand without permission, he radioed to his hunting party.

"He stated over the radio he was going to go and ask the persons to leave," said Sheriff Jim Meier. "He approached the person and asked him to leave at which time the landowners and occupants of the cabin that he was staying at also came on the scene; the suspect got down from the stand, walked about 40 yards, fiddled with his rifle, maybe took the scope off, turned, and opened fire on the group."

That's when Terry Willard radioed for help, but as seven other people came to assist, they became victims as well. Finally, a few other members of the party were able to make a run for help.

"The rescuers, who also came under fire, checked the bodies for signs of life and they grabbed who they could grab and got out of there because they were still under fire."

As the survivors sped toward Birchwood, the shooter reportedly stayed in the woods for another five hours, his exact movements not clear until he was seen by two other hunters.

"They came upon the subject, he reported he was lost, they didn't realize who they were talking to, so out of the goodness of their hearts, they gave him a ride back out at which time they had realized they had Mr. Vang in their presence and offered him a ride to the warden's truck, at which time he was taken into custody."

The suspect, Vang, was described as calm and cooperative, saying nothing that would indicate what specifically led to the gunshots that left victims, dead and wounded, scattered over an area of about a hundred yards.

Monday evening, the family of 55-year-old Denny Drew released a statement through Lakeview Medical Center in Rice Lake saying that he died at St. Joseph's in Marshfield.

[gnarledmaw]

Its national gun control news now. I was just listening to the radio, 1360 WTAQ, and the national news update came on. They had a statement from a fellow that they claimed was the sherriff, missed his name, and he said that if the AW ban hadnt expired that this might not have happened.

[Ladysmith2]

Actually the area where this happened, Exeland area has only about 460-500 people and the Birchwood area is around 900. So it is a very small community. The area Rice Lake where the men were from is around 9000.

WE are all prayer for the families.

[gnarledmaw]

Missed one of the most important parts (I must be tired)...

The national news updates are CBS radio news spots...

[Unruly Human]

The SKS round fires the 7.62x39 cartridge. It is slightly less powerful than the .30-30 deer cartridge, and considerably less powerful than the .30-06

I always have to laugh at the "assault rifle" hysteria.

Like you point out, a lever action .30-30 is more powerful. And lighter and shorter than an AK-47. It must be that pistol grip on the "assault rifle" that makes it more dangerous.

[quietolong]

>>> It is slightly less powerful than the .30-30 <<<

Slightly is the key word here. after 150 yd. The 7.62x39
starts Becomes more "powerful" that the 30-30

[quietolong]

What I posted on the WI state board.

For those of you who did not get to see the 1pm news conference on Mon.

Weasel Doyle had to show his face. And start it off. There was no reason for him to be there. And had to get up and yap for 9 min. to poly-o-tick

I don’t know about you. But can you start to see the set up going on here?
The Sheriff get up and acts like he don’t know what a SKS is. Giving it the evil “assault rifle” description. with 20 rounds,that if the AW ban had'nt expired that this might not have happened.
And how the county DA “ may “ need help from the state AG.

Think this case will get transferred down to Madison. With the state AG trying the case in a more liberal court?

And Doyle using this to further his Gun Grabbing Goal and term 2?

Can you see the room starting to spin?

For those who forget or to young

WCCA alert: Doyle/Baumgart bill gets worse (99% banned)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/614867/posts

Baumgart, Doyle Propose Gun Ban
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/612231/posts

Doyle urges fight against gun lobbyists

http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3896049f7e88.htm

[Unruly Human]

Slightly is the key word here. after 150 yd. The 7.62x39 starts Becomes more "powerful" that the 30-30

Becomes less powerful at a slower rate.... :)

The tubular magazine is the weak spot of the lever action. Round or flat nosed bullets shed velocity faster than pointy ones.

[quietolong]

Or You can only use the lever action 30-30 as a single shot with pointed projectiles. Or a two shot One in the chamber one in the tube;-)

The bottom line for those of you who think the 7.62x39 is to weak a cartridge. I think you have 6 people here who may disagree with you. Plus many more in the armed forces.

[SAMS]

And if all the victims were white, won't be a "hate crime" either. This guy is going to get some lawyer to plead him out, and he'll spend the next couple of years in a mental hospital and be out by 5.

[L.N. Smithee]

Old enough to have served in Dessert Storm/Shield.

He was a pastry chef?

[Catspaw]

What I don't understand yet, is they have not charged him with anything yet. And from news reports he has yet to ask for a lawyer....hmmmmm.

Vang will have his initial appearance in court today. Although he's been Mirandized, he's the one who has to ask for a lawyer, and from what I gather from the press conferences, he hasn't asked for one, so law enforcement can continue to question him. At the initial appearance today, however, he'll be asked if he wants an attorney appointed for him and will be referred to the Public Defender's office. They may schedule another initial appearance (called "balance of the initial appearance") until he has a lawyer assigned to him. The first thing the lawyer's going to do is to tell him to shut up.

At this hearing, the judge or court commissioner will set bail and will schedule a preliminary hearing. Because Vang's in custody, this has to occur within 10 days (don't hold me to this, because I haven't worked for lawyers who do criminal law in quite a while).

The many agencies involved are still working the crime scene and are far from completing the investigation, and the district attorney probably doesn't have the criminal complaint completed, so they're going to push the legal time requirements to the max.

[Bandaneira]

A terrible story. Prayers for the victims and their families.

[PjhCPA]

The Sheriff get up and acts like he don?t know what a SKS is. Giving it the evil ?assault rifle? description. with 20 rounds,that if the AW ban had'nt expired that this might not have happened.

I don't agree with your assessment of this. I watched the press conference. The sheriff stated that people hunting with his party have used an SKS in the past.

I agree that Doyle had no reason to be there. The comment I made to my wife as soon as I saw his face was "must be campaigning season already."

By the way. Al Laski, who was shot off his ATV and killed, is the brother of my employee. We are still in shock.

[rabidralph]

I heard on the radio this morning that his brother says it was a racial thing. I just roll my eyes.

[rabidralph]

Obviously, the guy hated white people.

[crz]

Here is how it will all go done in the court.

He will say..I was threatened, I was afraid for my life, I did not understand this was private property, I have been persecuted all my time in the USA. In short he will play the PO ME card.

Get a rope and end it before that all comes about.

[crz]

Ladysmith do you no if any of them worked for Besse?

[Ladysmith]

Besse Forest Products? Oh, gosh, I have no idea. You might ask PjhCPA.