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Prom Shooting In Wisconsin: Former Student Jakob Wagner Opens Fire, Injuring Two Students, Before Being Shot And Killed

By Pam Wright
Published on: 07:55 PST, Apr 24, 2016

Jakob Wagner, an 18-year-old former student at a Wisconsin High School, opened fire at a prom and injured two students before authorities shot him. He later died.

According to ABC News, the prom shooting took place just after 11 p.m. local time at Antigo High School in Antigo, Wisconsin, a city of about 8,000 people 35 miles northeast of Wausau, where Wagner showed up at the prom brandishing a rifle, according to Eric Roller, the city’s police chief.

Two students, a girl and a boy, were shot, allegedly by Wagner, as they exited the school, police said. According to ABC, District Administrator Donald Childs said the boy is an Antigo student, and the girl was his date from out-of-state.

The Unified School District of Antigo released a statement that said Wagner was in possession of a high-powered rifle and a large ammunition clip at the time of the shooting at the prom.

As is all too common today, police officers were on hand at the prom and were patrolling the prom when Jakob Wagner opened fire. The officers returned fire and shot the suspect, police said.

“The officer’s immediate response prevented further injuries and possible casualties. The initial investigation and officer response indicate this was a lone shooter and a search warrant is being executed at his residence seeking any additional information pertaining to this incident.”

According to Larry Shadick, the Langlade County coroner, Wagner died of his injuries soon after he was transported to a local hospital.

An autopsy of Jakob Wagner has been scheduled for Sunday afternoon, Shadick said.

The two unidentified victims were transported to Aspirus Langlade Hospital, where the girl had since been discharged, police said. The male student was undergoing surgery Sunday for non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

After the shooting, attendees of the prom were escorted from the school.

The school district commended the police officers for their quick response to Jakob Wagner’s attack.

“An individual armed with a rifle wounded two students as they exited the school. Because we had pre?arranged to have a police presence, an officer nearby immediately intervened. The shooter never gained access to the building. A police investigation is continuing, and details of the incident cannot be released until that is complete. All prom attendees are safe, thanks to the quick police response and their securing the building.”

According to the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel, Jakob Wagner was pronounced dead at 1:06 a.m. Sunday “after lifesaving measures at a nearby hospital.”

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker issued a statement via Twitter, praising the responding officers quick reaction.

A motive is unclear at this point and few details have been shared about Jakob Wagner, according to the Journal-Sentinel.

Jonathan Anderson of the Wausau Daily Herald, which is part of USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin, tweeted that a student by the name of Jakob Wagner was a senior in 2015 and was listed as an honor roll student.

Reinhardt Balcerzak, a retired Antigo High School science teacher and member of the City Council, told Anderson he heard about the prom shooting when he turned on his TV Sunday morning.

“It hasn’t even sunk in yet. I put on ‘Good Morning America’ and that’s the first thing I saw. I told my wife, ‘I think that’s Antigo.’ “

Balcerzak described Antigo students as “really nice kids” and said that when he taught there, the worst he ever worried about were occasional fistfights.

“It just takes one or two that are angry about something. It’s too bad that’s going to be the memory for those kids. I feel bad that’s their last prom. I feel bad for the ones who were shot and their parents.”

Childs told ABC News the district will have regularly scheduled classes on Monday, and a counselor will be made available to students affected by the prom shooting.

(Image via Twitter/<em>The Milwaulkee-Wisconsin Journal-Sentinel)

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