Jakob Wagner identified as Wisconsin prom shooter, was a bullied former student
A gunman opened fire with a rifle at a high school prom in northern Wisconsin, injuring two students, according to police, who have now identified him as Jakob Wagner, a former student who has been bullied by students.
The incident happened while students were leaving the prom at Antigo High School around 11 p.m. on Saturday, police said.
Jakob Wagner photo/ Facebook
“City of Antigo Officers who were patrolling the parking area heard shots fired, and one of those officers was able to fire upon the shooter stopping the threat to additional attendees,” police said in a Facebook statement. “The officer’s immediate response prevented further injuries and possible casualties.”
The Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation is leading the outside agency review of the officer-involved death investigation, a spokesperson told BuzzFeed News, saying that there is no information on the shooter’s motive and that “agents are busy assessing the facts at this time.”
Wagner, 18, died in the intensive care unit of a Wausau hospital shortly after 1 a.m. local time, said Langlade County Coroner Larry Shadick.
Donald Childs, the administrator of the Unified School District of Antigo, told NBC News that Wagner had graduated from Antigo High School and was “frequently in the school” in his capacity as a paid volunteer for the art department. Childs described Wagner as a “student with a disability.”
According to some of Wagner’s former classmates told the press that he was bullied through middle school and high school and had recently broken up with his girlfriend. Others claim he was “pretty troubled” and was “bullied a lot” due to “poor hygeine.”
There were two wounded students, a male and female. She was treated for a gunshot wound and released, while the boy has been undergoing surgery for what police said were non-life threatening injuries.
Everyone inside the prom was eventually escorted from the school.
The Unified School District of Antigo said that it would hold school on Monday and that there would be “heightened police presence around the high school for the next few days to lend support” as well as support from counselors.
