Nothing seemed out of the ordinary Saturday night when Tyler Peterson met up with a bunch of friends in a parking lot behind a Crandon bank.
They talked about hunting, what to do later that night. Typical stuff. That was it. It was 8:30 p.m.
But before the sun would rise, Peterson, a 20-year-old, off-duty Forest County sheriff's deputy and part-time City of Crandon police officer, would be suspected of storming into his ex-girlfriend's house and killing her and five other young people at a party, including two of his best childhood buddies.
Another teen was critically wounded.
Peterson would later end up dead, shot by the Crandon SWAT team.
"He must have just snapped," said a close friend who had known Peterson since they were in kindergarten and talked to him in the parking lot Saturday night. "He seemed fine (at 8:30 p.m.)."
Authorities in Crandon, about 180 miles north of Milwaukee, did not release details of the killings or the names of the victims Sunday, but the Journal Sentinel learned from interviews with families and friends that the following were killed:• Jordanne Murray, 18, Peterson's former longtime sweetheart, who graduated from Crandon High School in 2006.
• Katrina McCorkle, an 18-year-old senior at Crandon High.
• Leanna Thomas, also an 18-year-old senior at Crandon.
• Bradley Schultz, 20, a 2005 graduate of Crandon and a student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee majoring in criminal justice.
• Aaron Smith, called "Chunk" by his friends, also a 2005 graduate of Crandon. His age was not available.
• Lindsey Stahl, 14, a freshman at Crandon.
Charlie Nietzel, 19, of the neighboring town of Pickerel was wounded. He was in critical condition late Sunday at St. Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield.
Because a local law enforcement officer was involved, the investigation is being handled by the state Department of Criminal Investigation. Officials would not disclose any information Sunday other than to say authorities responded to a report of shots fired at 2:47 a.m., and that six people and the killer were dead.
Three-term Crandon Mayor Gary Bradley expressed anger and frustration at the state's handling of the case, complaining about a lack of information for officials and families and the length of time being taken in removing the bodies from the home.
...Bradley confirmed that Peterson was shot and killed by the Crandon SWAT team Sunday afternoon, hours after the early morning shootings.
...Although few in Crandon knew exactly what happened in Murray's home, in a town where the population barely pushes 2,000, seemingly everyone knew the victims or the shooter.
Fay Statezny has known the Petersons and the families of several of the other victims for 20 years or more. Statezny said Tyler Peterson was "a normal kid" who liked to hunt and fish and loved the outdoors.
He had grown up with Smith and Schultz, and they were all very close friends.
"We would all go mud-running and ice fishing," said Peterson's longtime friend from kindergarten, who didn't want his name published because of the sensitivity of the situation.
He said Peterson and Murray had been together for a long time and broke up earlier this year. He debunked rumors that Murray was dating someone else, sparking a jealous rage in Peterson.
Paul Pitts, a 17-year-old senior, said Peterson was the type of guy who was picked on by students when he was in high school.
Other friends and neighbors said Peterson, who was officially deputized in February, had recently completed special-forces-type training.
Why did Peterson kill so many people?
Local TV news outlets continue to cite jealousy as the possible motive, something that counters Fay Statezny's claims.
It's all speculation.
Crandon Township supervisor Ray Statezny Jr. offers a different story from Fay Statezny.
Crandon Township supervisor Ray Statezny Jr. said that the shooting was the result of a love triangle involving Deputy Peterson, a young woman, and another police officer.
"All I really heard was that there was a shooting," Statezny said. "Two officers were involved."
According to Statezny, "The one officer that did the shooting was going with the one girl that got killed. Then they split up and this other officer started going with her," Statezny explained.
Another resident says he heard suspect broke up with his girlfriend last week. She was apparently still in high school.
It was supposedly a homecoming party.
David Franz, 36, who lives with his wife two houses from the duplex where the shooting occurred, said it was hard to accept that someone in law enforcement was the gunman.
"The first statement we said to each other was, how did he get through the system?" Franz said. "How do they know somebody's background, especially that young? It is disturbing, to say the least."
Sheriff Keith Van Cleve said he would meet with state Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen on Monday morning to discuss the case.
I really don't see that as an issue, that somehow the system broke down because Peterson's job was to protect and serve the community but he committed mass murder.
Of course, it's disturbing that the shooter was employed to protect the public from murderers like himself.
I just don't think it's all that relevant.
Would more thorough psychological examination have revealed that Peterson was not fit to serve?
What if it did?
Would that have prevented the slaughter?
I don't see how.
Another thing--
Of course, the small community of Crandon is reeling. Residents can't believe something like this would happen in their quiet up north home.
Such violence as Peterson committed really doesn't have anything to do with the size of the city.
Small towns aren't immune from these nightmarish events. Because the population is so much smaller, the odds are simply less of something like this happening outside of a densely populated urban area.
Such crimes aren't related to the place as much as they're related to the person committing them.
In cases like this, we look for explanations and try to understand. But can any information make sense of something so senseless and horrific?
Can it be predicted when someone is likely to go on a shooting rampage?
In some instances, yes. There can be clues. However, "some" isn't good enough.
I think this is one of those excruciatingly painful realities -- that people are capable of doing great damage to others.
The "why" of it is so difficult to comprehend.
Yet if a search of Peterson's property revealed that he had spelled out his intentions to kill and explained himself in one of those creepy, lengthy, scribbled notebook manifestos, how would that help.
I think this is one of those excruciatingly painful realities -- that people are capable of doing great damage to others.
The "why" of it is so difficult to comprehend.
Yet if a search of Peterson's property revealed that he had spelled out his intentions to kill and explained himself in one of those creepy, lengthy, scribbled notebook manifestos, how would that help.
There might be some small measure of comfort in understanding a bit more, but there still would be six young people murdered and one injured.
It's difficult to acknowledge that a human being is capable of committing such violent and selfish acts and causing such heartbreak; but it happens and it can happen anywhere.
It's difficult to acknowledge that a human being is capable of committing such violent and selfish acts and causing such heartbreak; but it happens and it can happen anywhere.
Prayers for the victims and their grieving families and friends. Their lives have been changed forever.
And prayers for Peterson's loved ones.
Peterson has condemned them to carry an unbearable burden for the rest of their lives.
There are too many victims here to count.
And prayers for Peterson's loved ones.
Peterson has condemned them to carry an unbearable burden for the rest of their lives.
There are too many victims here to count.
18 comments:
I was visiting family in crandon when this happened yesterday morning. News was brought to us that morning from my Uncle, as he came to tell us that he was met by an officer with a rifle and that something very bad has had to have happened up town. The rest of the story came to us when my aunt came to tell us the story, since my cousin was in town celebrating homecoming that evening. Him and his friends were invited to go to the party but, thankfully, decided to not go. I am so thankful that my family is safe, but my heart goes out to everyone involved. My entire family, minus my parents and siblings, live there. I have seen this community come together for a tragedy and I know that this will only bring the community closer, but this is going to change the community that I have known since childhood, forever.
You always do think, "this won't happen to me, or it can't happen in this small town." You hear about tragedies on the news and think, "That's horrible, I feel for those families." But you still never think that it will happen to people you know, the community that you spend time in. I'm not from Crandon, but the majority of my family is. All 4 of my mom's brothers and their families live there, along with her parents and some distant relatives. I have grown up spending holidays and summers in this community. I still can't believe that this has happened to a community that I know so well. My heart breaks thinking about what my family and their friends are going through. My prayers go out to everyone in that community.
This is troubling particularly the more updated reports that suggest there was more afoot at this party involving 14 year olds mixed with or paired-up older adults apparently including a 20-something University of Wisconsin junior or senior. Even more disturbing is that there is no outrage among the townspeople toward the sponsors of the party that directly resulted in the the sheriff's deputy discharging a weapon and at this point we do not know the circumstances all we know is it is very very odd for 20-somethings to be mixed with tweens and teens still in high school especially at 3:00 a.m. (nothing good could be going on at that hour), homecoming or not, maybe there is so little to do in this town that high school homecoming is the epitome of the social / cultural activity there but really really there should not have been an good explanation for these adult men mixing with these teens at 3:00 a.m., I just wonder if the deputy came across something that really struck him as wrong such as underage drinking or something even more horrible or who knows what could have happened, this deputy must have been fairly impressive to be hired trained and retained to the point where he was also in the uniformed police force, so I would really like to know what was going on in that house with the minors and the adults to set him off, my thoughts and prayers for the loss but the only way to vindicate these lives is to ascertain the root cause of what transpired here and we wont know that until we find out why a 20-something male junior from the University of Wisconsin was coming to spend the night at a teens' house where even younger girls were present, more questions than answers at this point
20 years old vs 18 is no big difference in age, the 14 year old was a freshman and friend of a senior, nothing odd here neither. A pizza and movie party, wow real criminal action huh. What pushed this guys button was the betrayal. Lifelong friends calling him a "Worthless Pig". Another account from someone who went to school with him said he was picked on at school. The bottom line is he went nuts, after the total rejection from his so called friends and ex girlfriend, when they just had to add insult to injury! To suggest that these kids were doing anything other than having pizza and a movie is ludicrous!
The bottom line is he went nuts, after the total rejection from his so called friends and ex girlfriend, when they just had to add insult to injury! To suggest that these kids were doing anything other than having pizza and a movie is ludicrous!
I think it's terribly inappropriate to suggest that the people Peterson gunned down were somehow at fault. THEY are the victims, not Peterson.
Betrayal, rejection, whatever.
That's no excuse to kill someone.
His next of kin, and next generation brought by his brother and sister should be marked as cainanites and disbarred from the Church (the community). May shame eternally inflict the killers family. May they be known throughout the generations as the family of the "Worthless pig".
The OT scriptures are wise.
Anonymous,
This is troubling particularly the more updated reports that suggest there was more afoot at this party involving 14 year olds mixed with or paired-up older adults apparently including a 20-something University of Wisconsin junior or senior. Even more disturbing is that there is no outrage among the townspeople toward the sponsors of the party that directly resulted in the the sheriff's deputy discharging a weapon and at this point we do not know the circumstances all we know is it is very very odd for 20-somethings to be mixed with tweens and teens still in high school especially at 3:00 a.m.
Get bent.
You are siding with copism and overregard for the law. Guess what? The law dropped the ball. Now these teenagers and young adults aren't "hanging out" or "fooling around", nothing is "afoot" they're dead. Peterson arrived on the scene to stop their youthful shenanagans. Peterson is Cop of the year.
The Copism you ascribe to got these teens killed, perhaps for their "insolence" or "disrespect for the uniform".
I doubt a psychiatric evaluation would have spotted his.
Cops are taught to take personal slights as slights against the law. Cops seek the god-complex.
I just read all of the comments posted here as well as the above story First of all the post has misleading and incorrect information. Secondly, some of the comments are disgusting. The third comment makes me sick to my stomach. And the comment by Antizionist is horrible. I feel for the Peterson family, because i know they are searching for answers also, that they are suffering and asking why. Antizionist, how can you blame a family for what their loved one has done? Would you want to be disrespected and shamed because of something your family did? The Peterson family statement is on the web, one of the many websites is listed below for your benefit. Try reading that. No one could have known this was coming. http://www.wbay.com/Global/story.asp?S=7184797)
As for Anonymous post number 3, your comments are unbelievable. This is my hometown, my friends, and my schoolmates. The fact that you would even dare to touch on the subject that these victims were somehow to blame for what Tyler did is outrageous. The suggestions you made...? Horrible. "underage drinking or something even more horrible" That is crazy. UNDERAGE DRINKING IS NO REASON FOR SOMEONE TO MURDER 6 PEOPLE, SHOOT ANOTHER, AND SHOOT AT A POLICE OFFICER. (not to mention, there nothing stating that there was alcohol involved, a horrible assumption on your part.)
"outrage among the townspeople toward the sponsors of the party that directly resulted in" him MURDERING six people. What is wrong with you? It was a party and there has been nothing stating that "nothing good" was going on. All of the reports have said pizza and movies. Last time i checked, having pizza and watching movies is not a crime. The statements you made brought me to tears because you have no idea what you are talking about. It makes me sick to think about how many family members, friends, and community members could have read this. You have caused tremendous disrespect from your uninformed accusations and opinions. All you hear is speculation and rumors, because very little has been disclosed by the investigators. NOTHING THEY HAVE SAID WOULD LEAD TO THESE OPINIONS. NOTHING.
Obviously you are not from a small community, anonymous post #3, because if you were, you would realize that these kids were all friends. The "20 something University of Wisconsin" man was FRIENDS with these people. In a town this size, seniors are friends with freshman, as well as with people who were seniors when THEY were freshmen. Add it up, thats 8 years of friendships. All of these kids went to school together at some point. Crandon is a pre-k through 12 school. A town population of under 2000. When the average graduating class from a town this size is 40-70, everyone knows each other. The statement that it is "very very odd" for these age groups to be associating may be true where you're from, but not in this town. Not in this area. Not in a lot of places I know of. Is it so odd for a 20 year old to hang out with or be friends with a 22 year old? No. How bout a 20 year old with a 26 year old? Again, no. I am so enraged that you would dare to insinuate that these older boys being present was a crime, that they were somehow to blame for this, or that they did something wrong. Did you even thing before you wrote that? No, i think it's fair to say that you assumed the worst. And before you jump to more conclusions about underage drinking, maybe you should wait for the State of Wisconsin, Department of Criminal Justice to report such things to the media, otherwise your accusations, judgments, and insults do nothing but enrage and hurt the community that your "prayers and thoughts" are supposedly with. It is people like you that make the pain of a tragedy like this so much more difficult to deal with. The problem was not the fact that friends of different ages were at a house together in early morning hours, but the fact that this man lost control and brutally murdered 6 people...his friends... his classmates. Tyler Peterson, the man you describe as a "fairly impressive" officer met each and every requirement to be a law enforcement official in the state of Wisconsin. As the press conference stated, there was no psychological exam, nor any indication that one was needed. That, however, doesn't make him free from a psychological issue and even if one had been done, what is to say that it could have predicted this tragedy? Nothing. The worst part is the fact that you would put an ounce of blame on these victims. Is is simply unreal to me. Name calling, jealousy, depression, anger...no excuse you can come up with will ever justify his actions. Your senseless comments are a disgrace to the victims and their families.
I hope both authors of the posts that I have commented on step back and take a look at what they are saying. Its easy to pass judgment when it isn't your hometown, your loved ones, your friends, or your community; but have a little respect and realize that the things you say are read by others and that when you make statements without using facts or prior knowledge of the situation you make yourself look like a fool and insult a lot of others along the way.
First, regarding Anti-Zionist's comments: They are truly sadistic. They are the product of a twisted mind. Absolutely sick.
To "anonymous 11:39 PM, October 09, 2007"--
Did you note the time of my original post?
It was published at "1:47 AM on Oct 8, 2007." I added some information from news updates from early on Monday.
It's important to look at the time of the post. Since then, new information has become available. More is being learned and released to the public.
At the time I posted the information, it was what the media were reporting. Please do not accuse me of passing on "misleading and incorrect information." It's an old post.
Furthermore, I linked to and posted the statement from Tyler Peterson's family on Monday afternoon. You suggest that Anti-Zionist read the statement. If the individual read my entire post, then that individual did read it.
As I stated in the comments section here, I think it's terribly inappropriate to blame the victims in any way for the violence. Like you, I'm stunned by the callousness and cluelessness of some of the remarks made here.
When discussing such an overwhelmingly tragic case as this, I am very mindful of the feelings of those with close, personal connections to this horrific event.
Look i see where this cat is coming from...if your kids are not out running around with 20 year old gun carring ppl at 3 am then they will not get hurt...common sence.
The 14 year old SHOULD NOT have been there(period)
Far as the rest of this young love something happened to make him snap I have been hurt before bad and I mean bad bad...to the point i thank god at the point in time I did not have a gun blind rage like this is in the human mind....sad but true this guys age has little to do with it this happens daily in the world man finds out something goes crazy kills wife...tring to explain it makes no sence... Thats one thing thats changed over the years in the US we always try to explain these things....whatever happened to just plain went crazy...its like we can't admit that this primal act is in us all.
Mary...are you anonymous post number 3? If not, im slightly confused by what you are saying. Also, the post by anonymous number three was posted at 2:51 PM, October 08, 2007, and your first comment (the first comment by Mary) was posted at 2:34 PM, October 09, 2007. Furthermore, i see no links from any of your posts, which means i have no idea how anti zionist would have read the family statement from one of your posts. Please help me to try and understand what your saying, because basically...it makes no sense. Honestly, it doesnt matter...my response to anonymous number three stands as written. Nothing anyone writes will bring these people back into our lives, so I think that respect should be given to all associated.
I am the author of this blog, Freedom Eden.
I don't post any comments anonymously on my own blog.
There should be no confusion. My comments are clearly designated with my name. Click on it and my profile is accessible.
In my original post, blog entry entitled "Tyler Peterson," the Peterson family's statement is published in full.
Thus, anyone reading my entry had access to the heart-wrenching statement by the Peterson family.
In my entry "Tyler Peterson," I wrote:
Prayers for the victims and their grieving families and friends. Their loss is so great and so sudden. They've been changed forever.
And prayers for Peterson's loved ones.
Peterson has condemned them to carry an unbearable burden for the rest of their lives.
There are too many victims here to count.
I have shown no disrespect to anyone touched by this tragedy. My heart goes out to them.
Dear Mr Anti Zionist,
I would be ashamed to be in your family, how could you be so cold hearted, Tyler's family, I am sure feels terrible for what happened, however, they too are mourning a loss of a son, a little boy that a mother did her absolute best to raise. A little boy whom she tied sholaces for, and nurtured while he was sick, a little boy who probably made valentines for his mommy as a young child. A little boy whom she kissed goodnight, and read stories to. A young man who I am sure she was very proud of untill that day! I am not trying to say that Tyler Peterson was this wondreful being, No he obviously killed 6 people, what I am saying is, as a mother,(of little boys) my heart goes out to the Peterson FAMILY as well. No mother wants to raise a killer! To I think the only person who should be disbarred from the church is YOU!!
"Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey"
ISAIAH 59:15
To all the true mourners, the victims, their families friends and that entire community my thoughts and prayers are with you!!!
What is wrong with people! When something horrible happens in a big town you shrug your shoulders, feel sorry for the families and forget about it by the next day and maybe hear something in the news about it a few months later. For two weeks I have watched and listened and cried about people tearing my town to pieces. Nobody knows what happened or why it happened and nobody will ever know. What I don't understand is why people that know nothing about Crandon or Argonne, our people, and our children think they have a right to state their opinion. What happened to sympathy? I have watched a friendly safe town turn into HELL! A bunch of vulture reporters who lurk around and crowd you everywhere. People look for someone to blame or something someone could have done different. Tyler did something very, very wrong and in the end he was he own victim. I knew all but one of these kids and they were all wonderful, and now I can't mourn them because someone will ask questions or for fear of what will be thought of me if I feel sorry for Tyler's family or what will people think if they know where I'm from. Can you imagine if this was your home, your neighbors, your friends, or worse your children? Maybe if you tried you would feel a part of our pain! My prayers are with all the families and I hope time will ease some of your pain. As for the rest of you go on with your lives and find something else to stick your nose into.
"anonymous 12:34 AM, October 18, 2007" --
You have my sympathy.
However, you might want to rethink this statement:
"What I don't understand is why people that know nothing about Crandon or Argonne, our people, and our children think they have a right to state their opinion."
Are you really suggesting that people be silenced, that they have no right to state their opinion?
Like it or not, we all have that right.
In response to Anti-Zionist -
Had you been at Tyler's funeral, you would have seen that there was standing room only. Not quite the turnout you'd expect for a "worthless pig" is it? Had you listened to Bill Farr's eulogy, you would have known in an instant that Tyler was anything but. Had you been at Jordanne's visitation, you would have seen Tyler's parents in the very front pew. Jordanne's stepdad said that he would personally bring Tyler's parents to the front of the line if their presence displeased anyone. Had you been down Main Street in Crandon, you would have seen signs of support of all of the families, including Tyler's. If my deeply grieving community can pull together and show such support and sympathy to Tyler's family, I ask you this: who do you think YOU are to pass judgemtnt? We don't disbar people in Crandon, especially now. If we have nothing but bitterness and resentment in our hearts, we have no room for forgiveness and love. "It's all about the love"~ Jordanne's dad, Paul Murray, at her visitation. I suggest you learn a little more about love yourself, before you go about inciting hate in matters you really don't understand.
Isn't it stange being anonymous when we come from a town where we are anything but?
Here I go again...
to Anonymous 11:39 Oct. 9, thank you, from one hurting Crandonite to another.
and to Anonymous 12:34 AM Oct. 18, Stay strong. Never be ashamed of where you come from and the opinions you hold. I have never been more proud to have been from Crandon, and I'm sure many of our community members feel the same way. I am proud to have known those kids, grown up with them, and been friends with them. Friday night's bonfire after Aaron's funeral and Bradley's wake was an awesome tribute to the lives that they truly LIVED. It would be a disgrace to their memories if we were embarrassed to say that we were from Crandon because of what happened. We pulled together in a way I'm sure nobody was expecting, and we leaned on each other like we have never leaned on each other before. As a member of the class of 2005, I watched as my classmates came from not only across the state, but from across the entire COUNTRY to pay respect to our friends and to cry in each other's arms. We extended our arms to Tyler's family because we knew what they were going through; they lost a loved one as well, in addition to feeling ashamed of what he did. Anyone who thinks less of you for feeling sympathy toward the Peterson family -- please see above post -- needs to borrow some of that small town goodness from you, me, and our community. We'll share.
You have to know this community. It is a 'good ole boys' network. The older cops, are useless, fat, lazy.. They hire teens, to do the work. They don't care about the qualifications of anyone they hire.. POINT.. that is the bottom line, they would intentionally hire someone not qualified, if they would fit in with the "good ole boys' of this north woods haven. They gave him a gun, put him in the 'tank squad' (pictures have been posted showing this young man wielding an automatic weapon & sitting on the top of this assault unit) and told him he's a cop in Crandon....Give him a gun, make him a cop. If you visit Crandon, you should expect to see the most back wards patrol force in Wisconsin. Theu stop cars, for no reason, sometimess on double yellow lines, with hills on both sides of the valley where they make a person pull over. Then ask you to step out of the car in high speed traffic. I almost took off a door of the idiot's patrol car, no way could I slow down where he had this Illinois couple stopped. They are prejudice, if your skin is the wrong color.. look out. 75% of arrests in this county are against minorities.
Although this tragedy happened, perhaps because they hired someone 18, fresh out of high school, and did not give a proper check as to his mental state, guess what the employment ad for a replacement said????
"Patrol officer wanted, minimum age requirement 18, if not meeting minimum qualifications of education, successful candidate must be willing to complete educational requirements."
Apparently, they still have the same lazy fat officer doing the screening.
Bottom line is that someone dropped the ball on this guy's psych eval. This is the damned problem when cops are hired based on who they know and not their own internal qualities. I have to say that I am pissed because as an ex marine sniper and a hockey and football coach for over a decade, I couldn't get hired as a cop if I was back in 1800's Tombstone. Yet I have to sit back and watch 20 year old "never been in combat" "never dealt with teenagers" "never been rejected" KIDS be handed a badge and a gun based on who they know. Next time this town hires a cop, he should be a Desert Storm veteran divorcee with three teenagers. I guarantee he'd never shoot up the town if his gf left him or his friends called him a pig. U know Y? He's got PERSPECTIVE!!! Something Mr. Peterson obviously did not!
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