Rediff.com« Back to articlePrint this article

US cop's firing spree claims 6 teens

October 08, 2007 12:08 IST

A police who was off-duty went on a shooting rampage killing six teenagers at a house party before being brought down by a sniper in Wisconsin state in United States.

A seventh victim was in critical condition. The motive was not immediately clear but reports suggested that the girlfriend of the 20-year-old gunman, identified as Tyler Peterson, was among those attending the party in a private home in Crandon town.

Peterson worked as a sheriff deputy and a part-time police man and was not on duty at the time of the shooting.

The mother of one of those killed was quoted as saying that the suspect might have been a jealous boyfriend.

Among the victims were three students of a local high school and three recent graduates.

The town of about 2000 residents remained locked down for hours as Peterson evaded law-enforcement officials after the predawn shooting spree on Sunday.

Crandon Mayor Gary Bradley said that the suspect was dead. "He was brought down by a sniper," Bradley said.

At least eight people were inside the house at the time of the attack, family members say.

Police have not released the victims' names.

"I'm waiting for somebody to wake me up right now," said Jenny Stahl, 39, the mother of 14-year-old Lindsey Stahl, who was killed in the shooting.

"This is a bad, bad dream. All I heard it was a jealous boyfriend and he went berserk," she was quoted as saying.

© Copyright 2024 PTI. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of PTI content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent.