Man Shoots Wife Of 45 Years While She Recovers At Akron Hospital
66-year-old John Wise has been charged with shooting his wife, Barbara Wise, as she lay in a bed at the Akron General Medical Center. According to Dreamin’ Demon, authorities have stated that John’s actions may have been a misguided attempt at a mercy killing. After firing a shot into his spouse from the side of her bed, Wise eventually surrendered to unarmed hospital security personnel. A doctor who heard the gunfire helped negotiate with the shooter, who is currently in police custody.
The Daily Mail reports that Barbara had been recovering from a life-threatening illness, which authorities feel may have prompted her husband to shoot her. Although details about her condition prior to the shooting are few and far between, it’s been stated that the woman was living in an “extremely disabled state.”
John was arrested on Saturday for the shooting and is being charged with aggravated attempted murder. Since Barbara did not immediately die from her wounds — she was pronounced brain dead on Sunday — harsher, more serious charges were not filed. However, if it’s determined her death is directly related to the attack following an autopsy further charges may be added and/or modified as necessary.
“One could speculate that it could have been much worse,” Jim Gosky explained to The Daily Mail. “It appears that he was there just to inflict violence on his wife and no one else, but we don’t know that.”
John and Barbara Wise, who lived in Massillon, Ohio, had been married for 45 years. Although investigators are speculating that the shooting may have been an attempted mercy killing, no official explanation has been given by the husband.
