Raw Video: Gunfire Erupts During Wisconsin Standoff — Officer Dies
- Posted on March 20, 2011 at 7:27pm by
Scott Baker
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Fond du Lac Police are mourning the loss of one of their own, killed in a shootout with a gunman Sunday morning on the west side.
Authorities say Officer Craig Birkholz, 29, was shot in the upper chest and killed as police investigated a sexual assault report at a home on S. Lincoln Ave. about 6:30 a.m.
Police say Officer Ryan Williams, 28, also suffered a gunshot wound to the chest. He remains hospitalized at Theda Clark in critical condition and is expected to survive. Chief Tony Barthuly says Williams likely would have died had he not been wearing a protective vest.
Williams’ K-9 partner, Grendel, also sustained injuries and is currently undergoing treatment.
Officer Zach Schultz was injured in a stairwell. He was treated and released.
Authorities say the gunman, 30-year-old James Cruckson, took his own life at the end of the six-hour standoff.
Here’s is the raw video from the scene via WISN-TV:
And here is a more complete report from WBAY-TV:
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Comments (103)
BurntHills
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 9:43pmany hope he was a democrat union thug?
Report Post »psycodad36
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 9:28pm? ,if he took his own life, why were there 24 + – shots prior to the (woman) escorted into the van .then another six blatently wanton shots fire by the police,?the offficer in the rear of the van was clearly firing his weapon indiscriminately, ( I am not defending the accused) but i don’t enjoy my news sensationalized
Report Post »psycodad36
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 9:43pmso is everyone going back counting shots fired yet? I just asked a valid ? please help me understand
Report Post »macpappy
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 7:55amIn case you haven’t noticed: All hostage encounters, or situations where a citizen fires on police ends up with a self inflicted death. If you believe that, I’ve got a great story about how you are “innocent until proven guilty”.
Report Post »Bronco II
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 9:24pmThoughts and prayers to all the families.Many prayers for the officer wounded for a quick recovery.
Report Post »peezee
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 9:20pmAnother progressive loses it and takes an innocent man with him. Why are progressives so violent? Why!?
Report Post »chickenlittle
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 9:42pmWhy are so many of you looking for a “progressive” link???????? This situation was a sexual assault investigation… as much as I dislike them, progressives don’t have a monopoly on psychotic killers. I would imagine the guy was too stupid to be following politics anyway. As for everybody upset about Wisconsin, these incidents happen far too often ANYWHERE in this country, and others for that matter… even China! Get real!
Report Post »mauijonny
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 4:23amThank you, Chick – this is a non-WI story. Instead, it’s a domestic violence story. C’mon Blaze, I expect great things…
Report Post »Chicago Ray
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 9:14pmMrs Bowers said first comment: “The guy couldn’t have just turned himself in?”
Here’s my take, Ya know that’s how liberals act! They figure ‘if my life sux then I’m gonna make these ‘happy people’ who are doing good in life pay for it”, and that’s why they all love Marxism and communism so much. Every one suffers, not just them in their pathetic world they’ve carved out for themselves usually through bad life choices.
Then, they concoct some plan to cause deadly mayhem so ‘over the ledge’ (think postal) they think THAT will then compel them to ‘off themselves’ at the end of the tirade, attack or what have you.
But, that‘s when the well documented ’liberal cowardice’ kicks in, when they they decide: ‘well, it’s probably not so bad in prison where I can get stoned and have gay sex all I want to, come to think of it ” and then don‘t pull the trigger if the cops don’t do it for them. Gerald Laughner, perfect example.
Report Post »Chicago Ray
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 9:30pmWhile this one DID eventually kill himself, he was probably hoping the cops would do it for him or he wouldn’t have sat there for six hours thinking about it.
Report Post »angelcat
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 9:14pmGnome, police and firemen were NOT included in the governor’s law taking away bargaining rights.
Report Post »GnomeChomsky
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 9:18pmSo they participated in the protests for fun?
Report Post »chickenlittle
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 9:32pmYou’re right, they weren’t, but that didn’t stop them from supporting the protesters and in many cases declaring outright “solidarity” with the union protest with some of them actively protesting.
Report Post »GnomeChomsky
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 9:33pmMost police were exempt except for Capitol Police and UW-Madison Police so I’ll concede your point nevertheless the police and fire unions still participated in the demonstrations. I must have been confusing the Wisconsin law with those in Indiana and proposed Ohio one which have no such exemptions.
Report Post »Chicago Ray
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 9:36pmWhat happened is some loose cannons did, but they weren’t part of the Union changes Walker was seeking for the teachers. So they showed up here and there, a couple hundred is what I remember. http://tinyurl.com/45rehfq
“‘We have been ordered by the legislature to kick you all out at 4:00 today. But we know what’s right from wrong. We will not be kicking anyone out, in fact, we will be sleeping here with you!”
Report Post »Ken2
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 9:07pmA cop was shot five times at point blank range three years ago in an inner-ring suburb of St. Louis. The shooter got on the witness stand at his trial, CONFESSED to the crime in front of the jury (man were his public defenders P.O.’d) and stated he had no remorse for the crime because was trying to start a revolution. He said THE MAN was oppressin’ the peeps and all that hogwash. After all of that, the jury was UNABLE TO AGREE ON THE DEATH SENTENCE for the d-bag. One hold-out. If society can’t put a dog like this down, why should anyone assume they are safe?
Report Post »NancyBee
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 9:44pmYou’ve made a good point!
Report Post »Exrepublisheep
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 10:53pmwhats the other option?
Report Post »dominke
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 9:05pmOur society is out of control. We take to killing each other over minor junk. Take a look at japan,with all destruction you dont see barbaric actions by the people. We have raised our citizens to disrespect any authority. I would vote to give police broader power when making these calls. Another sad day for police and our country. God Bless this policeman and his family. Folks it is time to stand up and be counted,this land belongs to us,not criminals.
Report Post »ChellesVikes82
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 4:11amYou said exactly what I’ve been saying!
Report Post »macpappy
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 8:50pmPeace be with the family of the fallen officer.
Report Post »But, I don’t get it. You tool up with auto weapons, armored cars, warfare garb, and all the tools that soldiers have. Then when some fool opens up on you, the first thing you do everytime is haul ass.
I thought SWAT was for just such incidents. Maybe you should not be swat if you are scared to fight a firefight with an outlaw.
That crap don’t fly in Texas, they will firebomb your house into ashes before they will turn tail and retreat.
Progressive-ANTIdote
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 8:38pmOne more place for my list of places never to visit: Wisconsin.
Modesto, Mexico, Wisconsin, Florida. That is just the first four. Traveling is not all it’s cracked up to be.
Cali has better cheese anyway.
Report Post »lambchop60
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 8:34pmour thoughts and prayer go out to the family
Report Post »Chicago Ray
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 9:15pmDitto. : ( ….
Report Post »Progressive-ANTIdote
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 8:31pmI think it’s very easy to make the connection from UNION lawlessness and this latest act of violence. When people think the law no longer matters, THIS IS WHAT starts happening. We’re not looking good. WE must re-establish the RULE of LAW and fast… it’s like a nuclear reactor… if you lose control of the heat… it gets away from you REAL FAST… and then it’s HELL to get it back under control.
Don’t doubt it… This is NOT a good sign.
Report Post »SpunkyGal
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 5:13pmI agree that this tragedy is not a good sign. There appears to be an increase of cop killings all around the United States. If the Union protests can be blamed indirectly, it’s only the tip of the iceberg. There are so many factors that are going into the increased numbers of crime and cop killings, too many to count. The country needs to start placing more value on life, morals, standards, integrety and personal responsibility. My condolences to the family. I hope every other family in the nation will stand up and teach correct principles vehemently so that fewer tragedies will occur in the future.
Report Post »Delta101
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 8:31pmHeadlines CNN: “Violent Conservative Gunman with Ties to Radical Tea Party Shoots Police Officer in Wisconsin- Turns Gun on Himself. 2nd Amendment Under Scrutiny”
Report Post »temple62
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 8:26pmWhat a dysfunction state, you idiots have given California and Florida a repreive! My sympathies are for Governor Walker for having to put up with this non-sense.
Report Post »hauschild
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 8:25pmFriggin’ bottom-feeders!
Way too many cops getting shot and killed. It’s high time we return to the days when cops had more authority, unless you want to be paying cops 200k per man, in the future.
I hate when good people are snuffed out by complete wastes of human life.
Report Post »JoeA1010
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 8:14pmWith all the anger and incivility in Wisconsin lately, is this any wonder? The unions need to apologize for their indirect role in this tragedy and then need to decide whether they will be a responsible part of society or some radical fringe.
This was just a matter of time with the hatred displayed by the left in Wisconsin.
Report Post »GnomeChomsky
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 8:45pmYou Blazers amaze me, the police union was part of the protest so they should apologise to themeselves I guess?
Report Post »Suzee
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 12:03amThis is a reply to gnom: geez, please reread your comments and then do a google search of which union groups in Wisconsin were affected by the bill. This is why Msnbc, cnn, Randy, lawrence, etc. etc. have a ghost town for an audience……..they also are too lazy to educate (I would say ‘arm’ themselves, but then I would be accused of inciting violence) themselves with the facts before they go to a public forum and spew.
Report Post »ofallon
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 8:06pmThank God for all our police. God be with their families. What would we do without them? They are fighting the war everyday to protect us and all our freedoms. This is so sad.
Report Post »Republic
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 7:55pmMy partner was ambushed, shot and killed, by a wacked out meth head with an agenda. What the agenda was, nobody will ever know. I know and understand the pain that the other officers and family are going through. All my thoughts and prayers go out to them!
Report Post »Tlc3Terry
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 7:51pmGod Bless Him and his family! Also the other officers that were hurt! God help us all if we dont start turning this country around and Obama and Soros tear it apart!
Report Post »oneoldemt
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 7:44pmMy son is in law enforcement and it is very close to home everytime this happens. God bless all.
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 7:57pmPolice and Fire Depts work together. I herd on the radio this afternoon that a fire engine had overturned and that three were taken to the hospital.
It brought back memories of the fire engine that overturned in Onslow County, NC, a few years ago and killed both volunteer firemen on the spot. My son is a paramedic for a (paid) fire dept.
Report Post »Strictlybusiness
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 8:10pmYou people have a bunch of ANIMALS BACK EAST ! ! ! Thank God it’s out there, KEEP IT THERE ! ! ! We don’t want it out west here…….
Report Post »C. Schwehr
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 11:06pmNote to “STRICTLYBUSINESS” The City of Limon lost a police officer to a shooting while delivering a warrant to arrest a known criminal late last week….He left behind a wife and children…That was in COLORADO. The west is no better.
Report Post »LadyIzShy
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 7:41pmthoughts and prayers for his family..
Report Post »commonsenseguy
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 7:37pmmay god be with the families of the officers, please,be with the love ones in their time of need.
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 7:37pmThat is horrible!
Report Post »I thankkful the shooter committed suicide. I hope he died a slow death, too!
My prayers for the police officers and the canine officer.
Showtime
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 7:48pm(…thankful…)
The headline reads, “Raw Video: Gunfire Erupts During Wisconsin Standoff — Officer Dies”
I thought at first that one of the union members had gone ballistic!
Report Post »Strictlybusiness
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 8:06pm@ SHOWTIME
Where in this story does it say ANYTHING about the shooter “committed suicide” I’M sorry I watched the story 5 times and I see and hear nothing about the shooter “committed suicide” WHERE DID YOU GET THAT SHOWTIME ?????
Report Post »GnomeChomsky
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 8:15pmStrictly Business
Report Post »Another example of a Blazer who can’t read the article.
maryslittlelamb
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 8:25pm@StrictlyBusiness
From the article: “Authorities say the gunman, 30-year-old James Cruckson, took his own life at the end of the six-hour standoff.”
Report Post »spirited
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 8:34pmLast sentence, before footage:
Report Post »Authorities say the gunman, 30-year-old James Cruckson, took his own life at the end of the six-hour standoff.
Psychosis
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 9:41pmhey gnome…………..i know……….. reading is hard
typical libs only read and absorb what they want to learn, and dont bother with any facts
Report Post »ISeeDanger.com
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 7:37pmUnfortunatley, what man is capable of shocks fewer and fewer people.
When REALLY hard times start to fall on our country, look out.
I’m assuming this officer had a family. My thoughts are with them.
http://www.ISeeDanger.com
Report Post »psycodad36
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 9:32pmmy prayers are also with his family
Report Post »Mrs. Bowers
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 7:35pmThe guy couldn’t have just turned himself in?
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 7:45pmThat would have been too easy!
Report Post »bullcrapbuster
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 7:49pmThank God this was not connected to the union riots.
spirited
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 7:58pmWalker’s fault?
…not!
Report Post »grandmaof5
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 8:02pmYes, he could have but he would have missed an opportunity to shoot police officers. That seems to be a trend in today’s times, and we are losing good men far too frequently. Prayers go out to those injured, Officer Burkholz and their families.
Report Post »ottodiedacktick
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 8:03pmHorrible!!!
Report Post »ottodiedacktick
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 8:12pmRest in Peace Officer Birkholz. A word of advise to the swat team, you need to get ropes on the handles of each of the rear doors so that you can shut them from the inside without further risking your lives by having to lean outside the truck to shut the doors.
Report Post »Creestof
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 8:26pmI‘ll pray this evening for these officers family’s…here is why it is unacceptable for civilians to show contempt for their police officers. This is why you obey what they tell you, put your video cameras down and stop baiting them because you can get away with it in America.
Why? Once again for the hearing/reading impaired…THEY ARE WILLING TO DIE FOR YOU IN ORDER TO PROTECT YOU AND/OR BRING CRIMINALS TO JUSTICE!
Report Post »ishka4me
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 8:26pmhow long before union blames incident on Gov. Walker?
Report Post »GODSAMERICA
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 8:29pm@bullcrapbuster
Report Post »Are you sure that it’s not. I wouldn’t be surprised of one the those union thugs would do something like this just because they were losing the battle with Gov. Walker. If they can’t take out the government then take out anyone and everyone that they can, that is their motto.
Creestof
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 8:31pmDear Blaze, thanks (once again) for forcing us to watch a Ford commercial prior to seeing what happened to these officers. Were you trying insinuate they should trade in their SWAT van for a Ford?
Report Post »GnomeChomsky
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 8:42pm@Godsamerica
Report Post »You do you realize that the police officers of wisconsin were part of the so called “union thugs”, as you call them, that were protesting against Gov Walker dont you? It was their pay, benefits, and right to collective bargain that was being taken away. Your ignorance is remarkable.
mill
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 9:53pmOh please…you know they’re going to blame Walker, and the senators are going to run…
Policemen have dangerous jobs, not to be taken lightly.
Report Post »jzs
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 10:00pmGODSAMERICA, see a doctor and get some medicine. The police are unionized. And how often do you hear about gun toting, paranoid liberals shooting cops? That logic doesn’t fly even on this liberal-hating website.
Report Post »My Sacred Honor
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 10:13pmjzs
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 10:00pm
GODSAMERICA, see a doctor and get some medicine. The police are unionized. And how often do you hear about gun toting, paranoid liberals shooting cops? That logic doesn’t fly even on this liberal-hating website.
I seem to remember about a month ago a story about some guy in Arizona….
Report Post »Oh wait. No, that guy didn’t shoot COPS, just a Congresswoman and a Judge.
No big whoop.
JustJason
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 10:21pm@ GNOMECHOMSKY
Haha. You cite someone as ignorant while incorrectly stating police were unable to collective bargain for pay and benefits. Police and Firemen were except from the new law. It was covered everywhere. Not sure how you missed it. Also, there is no “right” to collective bargain this is a progressive lie.
Report Post »jzs
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 10:31pmSACRED, please. The Congresswoman was a Democrat.
Report Post »bullcrapbuster
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 11:41pmThis crazy was no doubt pushed over the brink by the violent noisy liberal protests of the past few weeks. Crazy rants from a union leader about the need to get bloody. shame shame
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 12:51am@jzs
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 10:31pm
SACRED, please. The Congresswoman was a Democrat.
And
And how often do you hear about gun toting, paranoid liberals shooting cops?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You forgot about saying, “And how often do you hear about gun toting, paranoid liberals shooting cops?” didn’t you?! What was that little girl? Or the judge?
Don’t argue with Sacred! He’ll eat you alive and spit you out!
Report Post »CatB
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 1:34amGnomeChomsky
Posted on March 20, 2011 at 8:42pm
@Godsamerica
You do you realize that the police officers of wisconsin were part of the so called “union thugs”, as you call them, that were protesting against Gov Walker dont you? It was their pay, benefits, and right to collective bargain that was being taken away. Your ignorance is remarkable.
______________________________________________________________
@Gnome
The Police Firefighters etc .. were/are exempt … Your ignorance is remarkable. Some went to protest .. at the UNIONS insistance no doubt . but you seem to know less or ignore the FACTS than those you call ignorant.
Report Post »dr_funk
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 3:51am@Creestof
Sorry, I refuse to stop recording police officers. When it comes to my word against his, the department, the courts, and the judges will always side with him. They may risk their lives, but some of them also have a tendency to overstep their authority and abuse citizens.
A friend of mine was at a house once when several cop cars pulled up. He got spooked and ran, so the cops chased him down and beat him up pretty good, kicked him in the ribs…told him “that’ll teach you to run from us, punk”…cuffed him, took him down to the station, didn’t charge him with anything, and then let him go. He pissed blood for a week.
And don’t even get me started on traffic cops.
Sure, I respect those that risk their lives and respect and uphold citizens’ rights. But there are too many on a power trip for me to stop exercising my constitutional and legal right to record police. It keeps them accountable.
Report Post »realindependent
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 4:23amAnd you guys are ok cutting teachers firefighters and cops pay? they put they’re lives on the line. they deserve whatever pay the clllectively bargian for. just like your Ceo and his lawyers bargian for when he gets hired.
Report Post »GEW
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 7:07amThis is truly sad. I never have understood this “suicide by police gun fire”.
Report Post »Prayers are with the families of both young men.
hempstead1944
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 8:29amUnion cops killing fellow citizens…..you go Wisconsin!
Report Post »ilovethiscountry
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 5:13pmE am sorry for the families of the police officers, but I can’t feel sorry that the officers were sho and one died. I live here and the police chief that was crying is the one who will not investigate and get rid of the bad cops on his force.
I am a white, middle class, gandmother who has never been in trouble with the law, who needs to tell her grandchildren to be wary of the police officers here in Fond du Lac. This police chief who was crying was told that his officers were rude and inconsiderate and his response was “cooperate with them anyway,” That wasn’t quite the point. You are more likely to get cooperation if the officers are polite and considerate.
There are good officers, but if I know of three who aren’t. That doesn’t say much for the force.
Report Post »This chief is retiring and not running again, maybe the next one will do better.
jackrorabbit
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 11:46pmGee Wisconsin sure is in the news a lot lately, and not the good kind.
Report Post »*************************
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 3:12amWhat the hell kind of vehicle is that? From a police department, or an army unit?
Beware people, they are equipping a standing non-army to be used against Americans.
“Excuse me while I whip this out.” sheriff Bart, Blazing Saddles
Report Post »Armed Patriot
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 7:48amGnomeChomsky Posted
@Godsamerica
You do you realize that the police officers of wisconsin were part of the so called “union thugs”, as you call them, that were protesting against Gov Walker dont you? It was their pay, benefits, and right to collective bargain that was being taken away. Your ignorance is remarkable.
Hey commie boy… Your ignorance is remarkable…. Althought the police were involved in the protest/strike, the issue in Wisconsin excluded police and firefighters. Typical commie, doesnt even know the facts of the issue the wish to argue and insult over.
Report Post »