Three people were killed and at least four injured in a shooting on Sunday in a Wisconsin spa, Brookfield Police Chief Daniel Tushaus said at a news conference.
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| Suspect: Police believe Radcliffe Haughton is the shooter |
A gunman dressed launched a shooting spree at a suburban Milwaukee spa and he is thought to have been targeting his estranged wife who worked as a stylist at the salon and had a court order of protection against him.
A 45-year-old man named Radcliffe Haughton was identified as the suspect who shot an estimated seven people at a day spa in Brookfield, Wisconsin on Sunday afternoon. He is still at large.
Three people have been confirmed as dead and the four other victims are said to be in non-critical condition.
During the investigation, police found an improvised explosive device on the scene, prompting them to issue a call for extreme caution.
Police chief Daniel Tushaus made a statement to the press saying that the shooting began at 11.09am Sunday morning inside Azana Spa.
Mr Tushaus said that the salon has not been entirely cleared and people remain in the salon at this time because the explosive device has hindered the process.
Haughton was reportedly seen fleeing the scene in a 2003 black Mazda, which has since been found but not in Brookfield. He was described as a bald ethnic man with darker skin, about 6 foot one inch tall and 270 pounds. Haughton was wearing jeans, a grey sweater, and a white and black backpack.
Haughton is estranged from his wife who works as a hair stylist at the salon where the shooting took place. He lives in nearby Brown Deer, Wisconsin, and police are trying to determine whether or not he is at the scene or if he has gone back to his house.
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| Scene: Women are seen gathering outside of the Azana Spa where the shooting took place this morning when a man opened fire at his estranged wife's place of work |
Court records show that a judge issued a order of protection against Haughton just three days ago on October 18, hinting that there was a credible threat against the estranged wife.
His estranged wife has two daughters, one of whom works at the spa and was whisked away by police after the shooting.
The Journal Sentinel contacted the suspect's father, Radcliffe Haughton Sr., who lives in Florida. He said the he spoke to his son by phone last week shortly after his estranged wife had been awarded the restraining order against him.
'I told him, whatever you do, don't do anything stupid,' Mr Haughton Sr. said.
'He told me, "I have to get out of Wisconsin."
'I am so saddened. I don't know what to tell you. As his father, I am very, very sorry and I did not expect this from my son.
'So he hasn't been apprehended? Oh Lord. Have mercy, God.
Police reportedly warned nearby hospitals to prepare for multiple injuries. The exact number of victims, their condition, and what if any connection they had to the shooter is unknown.
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| Unknowns: The shooting began at a spa near a Milwaukee mall |
A witness told the Journal-Sentinel that a he saw a young girl running through a parking lot in a panic after her mother was reportedly shot.
'She was screaming, yelling, crying hysterical. She was pleading for help,' Christopher Pfeiffer told the local paper.
'She kept saying, "My mother was shot." And she mentioned that there was a gunman. She ran into the bookstore and I followed her. But I watched her from afar.'
The Brookfield Square Mall and the Westmoor Country Club, located directly across the road, are both on lockdown as police try to assess the situation.There are 100 people inside the Country Club.
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| Preparing: Police said that they are concerned that there may be explosives on the scene and have since ordered the bomb squad as a result |
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| Tactical units: Police and swat team respondents entered the Azana Spa during the investigation |
Early reports say that the shooting began in the Azana Spa, which is located near but not inside the Brookfield Square Mall on the outskirts of Milwaukee.
One witness said that the shooting started in the spa, and four victims were immediately transported to a local hospital with non-critical injuries. The three other people that were shot have since been confirmed as deceased.
Live video of the Azana spa shows a tactical team moving in around 2pm on Sunday.
According to the spa's website, it boasts that it is the largest salon and day spa in Brookfield with 9,000-square-feet.
The layout of the spa- which has ten treatment rooms, male and female locker rooms, and a cafe area-complicates issues for police as people may be hiding inside.
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| Starting point: The shooting is thought to have began around 11am when Azana Spa opened |
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| On the scene: Multiple ambulances responded to the shooting Sunday afternoon |
The spa opened at 11am this morning and the shooting is thought to have begun shortly after.
The owner of the salon was out of the country at the time of the shooting and is reportedly headed back now.
This is the second mass shooting in the state in the past two months. An Army veteran opened fire at a Sikh temple in August, killing six people and injuring three others.
Local news reporters drew comparisons to an earlier incident when, in 2005, a shooting took place at the nearby Sheraton hotel during a mass service. In that shooting, seven people were killed before the shooter turned the gun on himself.
(Courtesy Dailymail)
