BIRCHWOOD, Wis. -- A Wisconsin sheriff says the Minnesota man being held in the fatal shooting of five people and the wounding of three others is cooperating with investigators.
Sheriff James Meier offered more details on Sunday's shooting on private hunting land in the town of Meteor, Wis. He said two or three in the victims' hunting group confronted the suspect, Chai Vang, sitting in a tree stand on their property and asked him to leave. Meier said Vang, 36, of St. Paul, Minn., climbed down from the tree and began shooting.
One of the men radioed back to a cabin for help. Others were sprayed with gunfire as they tried rescuing as many as they could from the shooting scene.
Tim Zeigle, a police official, said some of the victims were shot more than once. He called the incident "absolutely nuts."
Police said Vang was "chasing after them and killing them." They said he was "sniping" at the victims with an assault-style rifle.
The people who were killed include a father and his 20-year-old son, two other men and the 27-year-old daughter of one of the three wounded men.
Wisconsin's governor said it's an incredible tragedy that the family tradition of deer hunting in Wisconsin has turned into such a great loss.
TV station KMSP of Eden Prairie, Minn., reported that the suspect almost got away. He got lost in the woods and two hunters helped him find his way out. But when he emerged from the woods, an officer recognized the deer license on his back based on a victim's description. Police said the two men who helped him out were lucky because he was out of bullets.
The TV report also said the suspect was in camouflage, which is unusual, because hunters usually wear orange.
After the shootings erupted, a town official said deputies drove up and down the roads using loudspeakers to alert hunters to get out of the woods.
Meteor Chairman Dale Olson said shootings "just don't happen" in these parts. But he said the area attracts out-of-towners, and acknowledges "even neighbors" can fight over deer.
One of those wounded, a man, is listed in critical condition.
Denny Drew and Lauren Hesebeck were taken to Lakeview Medical Center in Rice Lake, Wis. Drew is listed in serious condition and Hesebeck in stable condition.
Shootings Upset Deer Hunters
Bill Wagner was deer hunting with about 20 other people in northwestern Wisconsin when the deer-stand shooting took place.
"You don't expect somebody to try to shoot you and murder you" when you're deer hunting, the long-time hunter said.
Wagner said the incident is "very upsetting" but won't keep him from hunting.
An official in a nearby town said people take the state's nine-day-long deer hunt seriously. They take off work and schools are closed.
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Sheriff Gives More Details
