Tree stand dispute turns deadly...

[scifisher]

Five dead in deer hunting dispute

Alleged gunman arrested after fight over tree stand

The Associated Press

Updated: 5:56 a.m. ET Nov. 22, 2004

BIRCHWOOD, Wis. - A deer hunter shot and killed five people and injured three others in northwestern Wisconsin following a dispute about a tree stand during the hunt’s opening weekend, authorities said.

The 36-year-old alleged gunman, who lives in the Minneapolis area, was arrested Sunday afternoon, Sawyer County sheriff’s officials said. Jake Hodgkinson, a deputy at the county jail, identified the suspect as Chai Vang but would give no additional details.

The incident began when two hunters were returning to their rural cabin on private land in Sawyer County when they saw the suspect in one of their hunting platforms in a tree, County Chief Deputy Tim Zeigle said. A confrontation and shooting followed.

It’s not known who shot first, Zeigle said.

Both hunters were wounded and one of them radioed to the cabin a quarter mile away. Other hunters responded and were shot. About 20 shots were fired, but it’s unclear who shot them, he said.

The dead included four males — including a teenage boy — and a woman, Zeigle said. A father and son were among them, he said. Some of the victims were shot more than once.

All five, from the Rice Lake area, were dead when officers arrived to the area in southwestern Sawyer County, he said. Authorities found two bodies near each other and the others were scattered over 100 yards.

“It’s absolutely nuts. Why? Over sitting in a tree stand?” asked Zeigle.

Zeigle said the suspect was “chasing after them and killing them,” with a SKS 7.62 caliber semiautomatic, a common hunting weapon. Wisconsin’s statewide deer gun hunting season started Saturday and lasts for nine days.

Two young people who stayed in the cabin emerged safely after the shootings.

The suspect, who did not have a compass, got lost in the woods and two hunters, not knowing about the shootings, helped him find his way out, Zeigle said. When he emerged, a Department of Natural Resources officer recognized the deer license on his back, given to police by a victim, Zeigle said.

The man was out of bullets and was arrested, Zeigle said.

One of the injured hunters was in critical condition at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Another was listed in serious condition and the third was in fair condition, both at Lakeview Medical Center.

Hunter Bill Wagner, 72, of Oshkosh, was about two miles away near Deer Lake with a party of about 20 other hunters. After they got word of the shooting, he and others went to round up the rest of the party. He said they heard sirens, planes and helicopters and noticed the surrounding roads blocked off.

“When you’re hunting you don’t expect somebody to try to shoot you and murder you,” he said. “You have no idea who is coming up to you.”

It took about three hours to round up the other hunters, who were up to four miles apart, Wagner said. “We’re all old, dyed-in-wool hunters,” he said. “We wouldn’t go home because of this but we will keep it in our minds. We’re not forgetting it.”

© 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6551094/

[scifisher]

This article made me physically sick. I can't believe my eyes! What the heck is going on when something like this can occur?

[scifisher]

Whoops, I didn't see this in the hunting forum. This is close to home to home though. Many of those guys who died were from Rice Lake.

[Surface Tension]

The horror those fathers, sons and friends went through as they where slain by this sick person is unspeakable and the devastation done to the family members is something I never want to experience. Pray for those families.

Does WI have the death penalty?

[Northlander]

No but if there ever was a case where a person deserved it this is it! If this guy ever gets out of jail its a crime!

[scifisher]

FYI - A sixth hunter has died from his injuries. My prayers go out to his family and to all of the families who have been affected by this terrible incident.

I've got to say, this doesn't make me feel like I want to go out during firearm season anymore. I stopped going out five years ago because a tree 12 inches in front of me took a bullet a second before I would have taken it. Do people need to carry their pistols out into the woods now?!

I feel so sad about this, what a shock to outdoorsman everywhere.

[backcast]

Many thoughts can come to mind. Great sadness for all involved. We are going down to Rice Lake for Thanksgiving dinner to brother-in-laws. Will be very thankful none of them directly involved but they knew those who were. If anything can come of this, let it not be more anger or bitterness. Too many questions without answers. May all of you have a safe and meaningful Thanksgiving.

[Northlander]

How many of you people would be interested in a small donation to the victims families? I see they set up a fund at a bank we could donate to.

Ill get this started with a $20 donation. All donations could be sent to me and I will send them in as 1 big donation from Fishing Minnesota.com

I will post the details on who to make checks payable to.

[BDR]

Here you go Northlander.

Rice Lake Hunters Survivors and Victims Fund

Dairy State Bank

16 South Main Street

Rice Lake, Wisconsin 54868

Ok guys here is the info. Who is willing to help these folks out in their time of need? You can e-mail me at [email protected] for my adress to send your donations to. Lets try to get them in by Dec.1st ok?

Thanks for your help. Northlander.

[Northlander]

Thanks a lot Brian! Hows it going down your way? Waiting for the ice I bet. See ya at the Ice Show in St.Paul. Ill be there at least Fri but probably all 3 days. Ill catch ya at the JR's booth for sure. E-mail me if ya like and we can set something more solid up.

[I'llTakeWhatiCanGet]

Absolutely unbelievable. They're saying on the news right now that the guy is saying he was shot at first. I can't even begin to imagine the turn of events that could turn a tree stand dispute into a massacre. This is a terrible tragedy, a black eye to the sport, and looks like it could turn into a high profile controversy. I'm still having a hard time believing that something like this could possibly happen

[Jiffy]

It is just so sad. The person who commited this crime will never pay. You could torture him for the next 50 years and it will never bring back the people who died and it will never bring any comfort to their families. There is just nothing anyone can do to make anyone feel any better after what happened. I guess that is the defintion of evil.

[Fishing Junky]

I'm in Northlander. You except Paypal? Let me know where to send the check and it will be on the way. Your a very thoughtfull man. Junky......

[Northlander]

A HUGE THANKS to those who are donating to this good cause. As I have told those that donated already make the Checks out to Rice Lake Hunters Survivors and Victims Fund and I will send them all in on DEC 2nd in the name of Fishing Minnesota.com

Response has been good and I hope all that can will pitch in to help these folks out in their time of need. Even $5 will help out Im sure. Thanks again guys and see ya on the ice.

[outdoor ran]

Isn't this terrible. I coundn't believe it when I heard it. There familes are on our minds has we try to finish out this deer season. I know parents that are now scared to let their kids hunt. You can just feel it when you talk to other hunters. Everyone is on edge and just sickened. Northlander, again your a class act. I'm going to send a little myself.

Randy make sure your posts are ok for all ages, no bodily harm type stuff ok? Thanks Buddy.

[Northlander]

Thanks Randy. You know where you can drop off your check if you want to do donate with the rest of us. Did ya get any deer? I guess I should ask how many and how big you Buckslayer. I hear they call ya "BUCKMASTER".

Pretty soon and you will have to show me your icefishing spots in Alouis Bay. Give me a holler on the e-mail.

[Jiffy]

They had that moron's lawyer on TV last night and you should hear him talk. He said "We are looking into the situation that Mr. Vang found himself in that would cause him to react this way." As though it is totally not his fault, he was just out hunting and reacted to a bad situation. Now I can see a defense attorney spewing that kind of garbage because they are paid good money to do so. But then the put a representative of the Asian community on TV to talk about poor Mr. Vang as well. This is not a racial issue but they want to try to turn it into one. It has nothing to do with race, he is a common thug no matter what his ethnicity happens to be. What a bunch of BS. It is that stupid liberal mind set that nothing is anyone's fault, we are all just products of our surroundings. We cannot make any choices of our own. It is too bad Wisconsin does not have the death penalty for killers like him. Wisconsin coddles its criminals just like Minnesota does. They think criminals are the true victims. What a bunch of crap!

[Northlander]

Jiffy I agree with you, it wasnt about race it was about a guy who CHOSE not to control himself and he murdered 6 people in cold blood! I can see defending yourself if you were shot at but once he hit the 1st guy he should have got his butt out of there! Not chase down and kill 5 more people. Give him the max penalty and thats still not enough!

[gunflint]

I saw the news conference with Vangs attorneys. They are no longer calling the people he killed victims, they are calling them "participants of the incident." I understand the stratagy of setting up a defense in a basicly hopeless case. What I can't understand is how you can look at yourself in the mirror after insulting the grieving families in such a way. I guess I don't have that kind of heart.

[Jiffy]

I work in corrections and I see the way the state treats inmates, satilite TV, Popcorn and movies, nice gyms to work out in. It's a joke. But the bottom line is like someone here said, no amount of punishment can bring back the people who were killed. It is too bad that such evil people exist.