Senator, 2 Governors on Wisconsin Gunman’s List, Sources Say

A gunman suspected of fatally taking pictures a retired county decide at a Wisconsin residence had an inventory that included Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, Whitmer’s office and a regulation enforcement supply mentioned Saturday.

Douglas Okay. Uhde, 56, who has not been charged, is suspected of killing retired Juneau County Judge John Roemer at Roemer’s home in New Lisbon on Friday, the Wisconsin Department of Justice mentioned in a information launch Saturday.

Uhde was discovered within the basement of the house with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, following makes an attempt by police to barter with him. Uhde is hospitalized in vital situation, DOJ officers mentioned.

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul on Friday mentioned the taking pictures gave the impression to be a “targeted act” and that the gunman had chosen individuals who had been “part of the judicial system.”

But investigators consider the gunman additionally might have deliberate to focus on different authorities officers and located an inventory in his automobile that contained the names of a number of different outstanding elected leaders, a regulation enforcement official mentioned. The different targets on the listing, which talked about Roemer, included Evers, McConnell and Whitmer, the official mentioned.

Roemer was discovered tied to a chair in his residence and had been fatally shot, the official mentioned. The official couldn’t focus on particulars of the investigation publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on situation of anonymity.

Uhde has an intensive felony and jail file courting again not less than 20 years, together with a case through which he was sentenced by Roemer to 6 years in jail on weapons prices. He was launched from his final jail stint in April 2020.

Zach Pohl, Whitmer’s deputy chief of workers, mentioned her office was notified that her identify appeared “on the Wisconsin gunman’s list.”

(*2*) Pohl mentioned.

Whitmer turned the article of protests and criticism after she blamed former President Donald Trump for stoking anger over COVID-19 restrictions and refusing to sentence right-wing extremists.

A trial held earlier this year through which 4 males accused in an alleged kidnapping plot of the Michigan Democrat resulted within the acquittal of two of the lads. The jury couldn’t attain a unanimous verdict for the opposite two.

Roemer, 68, was a “very loving, very encouraging man with a wonderful sense of humor who will be dearly missed” by the group, mentioned Chip Wilke, pastor at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mauston, the place Roemer was president of the congregation and evangelism chairman. “He was in my office several mornings a week.”

Roemer retired from the bench in 2017. He was first elected in 2004 and was reelected in 2010 and 2016. He beforehand had served as an assistant district legal professional for Juneau County and an assistant state public defender. He additionally labored in non-public follow and served as a lieutenant colonel for the U.S. Army Reserves.

Investigators mentioned there isn’t any fast hazard to the general public.

“The information that’s been gathered indicated that it was a targeted act and that the targeting was based on some sort of court case or court cases,” Kaul mentioned.

The Juneau County Sheriff’s Office obtained a name that two photographs had been fired at a house in New Lisbon at 6:30 a.m. Friday, in response to the Division of Criminal Investigation. The caller had fled the house and made the decision from one other close by home.