October 21st, 2012
01:28 PM ET

Four dead in Wisconsin salon shooting, including gunman

[Updated 6:10 p.m.] Suspected shooter Radcliffe Haughton has been found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, Brookfield police Chief Daniel Tushaus said. He was found inside the salon where the shooting occurred.

[Updated 5:38 p.m.] Froedtert Hospital - the Milwaukee medical facility where four shooting victims are being treated - has "resumed normal operations" after earlier being placed in lockdown mode, the hospital said on its website.

"We are certain that our environment is safe," the hospital said in an update published at 4:25 p.m. CT.

[Updated 5:20 p.m.] President Barack Obama learned of the shooting around 12:30 p.m. CT from homeland security adviser John Brennan and then had a follow-up call an hour later involving, among others, FBI Director Bob Mueller, a White House statement said.

"The president was informed that the shooting did not appear to be terrorism-related," the statement said.

Earlier, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker offered '"our thoughts and prayers to the victims" and "the law enforcement and community support they need to heal in the coming days."

[Updated 4:56 p.m.] Authorities working to clear the building where Sunday's bloody shooting took place "believe we have identified what is being described as an improvised explosive device," Brookfield police Chief Daniel Tushaus said.

The device is "hampering our clearing of that building," the chief added.

[Updated 4:41 p.m.] Authorities "believe" three of the seven people shot Sunday have died, according to Tushaus.

The shooting took place around 11 a.m. CT (noon ET), the chief explained.

Authorities have been able to track down a 2003 Mazda Protege linked to the suspect - which was found outside the city of Brookfield - but the suspect remains at large. He's been identified as Radcliffe Haughton, who Tushaus said weighs 270 pounds and stands just over 6 feet tall.

[Updated 4:10 p.m.] Bomb squad personnel are at the scene of the shooting, Brookfield police Lt. John Beth said, pointing to concerns there may be explosives at the site.

[Updated 3:42 p.m.] ATF spokesman Thomas Ahern identifies the suspected shooter as Radcliffe Haughton, 45, of Brown Deer, Wisconsin. The shooting is being investigated as a possible domestic-related incident, according to Ahern. The suspect remains at large.

Radcliffe Haughton

[Updated 3:29 p.m.]ATF spokesman Thomas Ahern confirms to CNN that seven people were shot by a lone gunman at the Azana Hair Salon and Spa. "Employees said a man entered the salon, workers saw a firearm - a handgun of some sort," Ahern told CNN's Susan Candiotti. "An employee said to the gunman something like, 'If you're gonna rob the place, rob the place,' and then (the gunman) opened fire."

[Updated 2:24 p.m.] FBI and ATF agents are among the authorities at the scene, CNN affiliate WISN reports.

[Updated 2:07 p.m.] The nearby mall and some other buildings are on lockdown, CNN affiliates report.

[Updated 1:56 p.m.] CNN affiliate WTMJ reports authorities are looking for a suspect.

[Updated 1:54 p.m.] CNN affiliate WISN reports that a witness described seeing two women leaving the spa, apparently injured.  One crawled out and was taken by emergency responders.  The other was treated by emergency personnel in a squad car.

[Updated 1:32 p.m.] Hospital spokeswoman Nalissa Wienke tells CNN all four people in the emergency room appear to have non-critical injuries.  She could not say whether the injuries were due to gunshots.  At this time, the hospital does not believe it will need more staff, she said.

[Updated 1:28 p.m.] Numerous emergency vehicles are at a spa in Brookfield, Wisconsin, as local news agencies report a shooting took place.

Four people are in an emergency room, and another three are on their way, said Beth Strohbusch of Froedtert Hospital in nearby Milwaukee.

CNN affiliate WTMJ says the Waukesha Sheriff's Department confirmed there was a shooting, and that witnesses say it was either at or near the Azana Salon and Spa, which is across the road from Brookfield Square Mall.

CNN affiliate WISN called it a "mass shooting."

FULL STORY
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Filed under: U.S. • Wisconsin
soundoff (1,000 Responses)
  1. brackneac

    Another case for gun control. The argument that if you ban guns, only criminals will have them. These mass shootings are not done by criminals, but by "normal" people who go crazy for whatever reason. If they didn't have easy access to guns, these tragedies would be much less frequent. When will we learn?

    October 21, 2012 at 5:03 pm | Report abuse |
    • Ivotebasedbyskincoloronly

      thats right because you can only hurt people with guns. You can't use anything else like your bare hands or a lead pipe. What if in the future when theres no guns and we're living in the great civilized society and someone robs a place by releasing wild lions and tigers and alligators too. Sheeeets gonna get real creative.

      October 21, 2012 at 5:09 pm | Report abuse |
    • pseudosciencebuster

      Haughton did not legally own any guns. He was under previous court order to surrender all firearms to the police.

      Also, he came armed with an improvised explosive device. I don't believe those are legal either.

      October 21, 2012 at 5:09 pm | Report abuse |
  2. us_1776

    Bad Hair Day.

    .

    October 21, 2012 at 5:03 pm | Report abuse |
  3. Cree Tin

    if the shoppers all carried automatic weapons and wore flack suits, this wouldn't happen (not as often, anyway)

    October 21, 2012 at 5:05 pm | Report abuse |
  4. Sam

    People keep saying race has nothing to do with it, but black males only make up 6% of the US population, so why do they account for much more than 6% of violent crimes?

    October 21, 2012 at 5:05 pm | Report abuse |
    • RunForTheHills

      Easy. Selective Enforcement. Police only really enforce the law against minorities. White people generally get a pass when it comes to violent crime.

      October 21, 2012 at 5:10 pm | Report abuse |
  5. Cannuck

    If you own a gun, statistically you will be the one shot by it. Next, your family. Down on the list is someone that is threatening you. That should be enough for anyone to not want a gun in the home. But, you can't change stupid.

    October 21, 2012 at 5:07 pm | Report abuse |
    • Don in Washington

      That statistic is fabricated. It comes from counting death as the only outcome of a firearm's use. If a bad guy is not killed, then there was supposedly no self defense. Since the bad guys are actually shot only 10% of the time a gun is used in self-defense and only about 20% of those shot then die, then the statistic of self-defense only counts for 1/50 of the true uses. Put against the people who use a gun for suicide and it distorts the ratio. Of course people have been committing suicide since long before guns were invented so removing the gun from the household has no effect on suicide rates.

      October 21, 2012 at 5:38 pm | Report abuse |
  6. Quaid

    I personally wouldn't deliberately take a life over inane gossip. But I can see how someone, in the heat of rage, can be compelled to do so.

    October 21, 2012 at 5:09 pm | Report abuse |
  7. RunForTheHills

    Obama promised to get guns under control – and has failed to deliver. We need an alternative to the promise-and-forget policies of Obama.

    Check out Jill Stein. She will make sure that guns can only be owned by responsible people (police, military, and other people with a legitimate need for them).

    October 21, 2012 at 5:09 pm | Report abuse |
    • pseudosciencebuster

      And if they disobey they will receive a stgrongly worded letter?

      Haughton was already illegally in possession of a gun, but that didn't stop him. And he made an Improvised Explosive Device to bring along. I guess we forgot to make those illegal?

      October 21, 2012 at 5:15 pm | Report abuse |
    • Northern Bystander

      CNN gladly had a spokesman from the NRA saying no to gun control. Until everyone in America has a family member shot I feel there is no hope for that.

      October 21, 2012 at 5:18 pm | Report abuse |
    • Capt K

      Yes, lets take the guns away from law abiding citizens and let the criminals keep them, they always have ways to get them. Ask Australia how that worked for them, Crime doubled since the criminals didn't have to worry about anyone fighting back

      October 21, 2012 at 5:24 pm | Report abuse |
    • RLEmery

      Yeah, since there was a court order, and the police failed to get his weapons, sad how words on a paper and the govt fail to prevent violence. Yet mental midgets like you blame everyone but those responsible like the good little Nazi ACORN boot licker you and Northernshortyellowbuspassenger are.

      But hey, do tell how the BATF is controlled by the NRA, oh wait, they arent.

      The same BATF that refused to prosecute more than 1% of the 1 mil felons rejected by the background check since 1994, along with the 830,000 others rejected, which include the crazies.

      Dont forget the BATF fails to catch 100% of those using a fake identification to pass the background check and do NOTHING about the 95% of felons who dont even attempt to buy from a licensed source to begin with.

      Then of course the BATF refusing civilians access to use the NICS background check.

      But hey thats the NRA or 80 mil law abiding gun onwers fault right einsteins?

      Then of course your state govt., refusing to fund and resource the mental reporting function for NICS. As per FBI NICS database, July of 2012 showed 1.7 mil records of people who have lost their 2A right to due process for mental illness. But then since mental health experts agree that 50% of current 2.7 mil prisoners and 7% of US adults (21.8 mil, mostly progressive obamabots) are severely mentally ill, guess you mental midgets are going to blame the innocent NRA & 80 mil law abiding gun owners like the good little brain dead meat puppets always do when their master says jump.

      Then of course there is Haynes vs US 390, 85, 1968, you know, the US Supreme court ruling confirming the 5th amendment right of no self incrimination, making 85% of the existing 20,000 gun control laws not applicable to felons, much less the crazies.

      But hey, since over 92% of deaths by illegal use of a firearm are committed by career criminals, gang members, and suiciders, you people insist on blaming all the innocents and claiming EVERYONES RIGHTS are dependent on the actions of the few criminals, insane idiots, and the failures of the govt to enforce the existing laws much less protect.

      You few idiots are pathetic.

      October 21, 2012 at 5:33 pm | Report abuse |
  8. johnny

    This is a reflection of the one ided court system that favors women....It will and can drive men to do these things because they are feeling pressure from all sides, money to the x, money to the kids, takes your home away...the courts could careless if the man lives on the street...as long as the women is taken care of. Yes for all those years of just taking care of the kids...and spending the man hard earned money...heres the kids, home, family dog, and the house...and for the man? zero...pay up...lol....yes im venting....but some men lose it...and quite frankly I dont understand why more don't lose it.....

    October 21, 2012 at 5:10 pm | Report abuse |
    • MollyBee

      The NRA just launched a big anti-Obama campaign because he said the assault rifle ban should be renewed.

      October 21, 2012 at 5:16 pm | Report abuse |
    • Spencer

      Amen, brother

      October 21, 2012 at 5:18 pm | Report abuse |
    • sam

      No, men are weak and no good, as evidenced by the violence they perpetrate against women, kids and animals all over this planet. If women were responsible for such horrors you can bet they'd be stopped.

      October 21, 2012 at 5:26 pm | Report abuse |
    • JustMe

      Usually it's more of a 'if I can't have you, no one can' in cases like this. But yeah, I can see the sense in awarding custody to a man who would do this. He sounds like a very calm, rational, caring person.

      October 21, 2012 at 5:27 pm | Report abuse |
    • Spencer

      JustMe – you don't gt it. This is the effect of injustice against a gender, not the cause of the problem. Hope you are smart enough to understand that. And that again is part of he problem – the system believes all women know better, regardless of how stupid any particular one is

      October 21, 2012 at 5:46 pm | Report abuse |
  9. NRAlovesyou

    NRA should be happy. More people to buy guns and more guns to flood the black market. Round and round we go.

    October 21, 2012 at 5:11 pm | Report abuse |
  10. ogre12

    drawn to evil he did the deeds of satan..I pray for his soul.

    October 21, 2012 at 5:12 pm | Report abuse |
  11. ThomasJeff1776

    Another gun crazed NRA supporting assault weapon loving white supremicist......what? hang on folks......oh it was a black guy......[liberal gears changing mid rant...turn to page 34 of the play book folks]...the police are racist, this poor guy is the victim too of the white dominated society that doesn't give him a fair shot, schools and the rich not paying their fair share is to blame.

    October 21, 2012 at 5:12 pm | Report abuse |
    • Ivotebasedbyskincoloronly

      Ratcliff looks like one of those clint eastwood NRA card carrying types. White people blowing people away again with there legally owned and registered guns again.

      October 21, 2012 at 5:18 pm | Report abuse |
    • Go For Wakeshield

      stupid has no color.

      October 21, 2012 at 5:28 pm | Report abuse |
    • retphxfire

      I believe you are making a complete fool of yourself, not just with your inane rant, but by the use of 'thomasjeff..'. Thomas Jefferson was one of the most liberal people of our history. Take a second and find out for yourself. In fact, he, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin are the big liberal three of their time. Jefferson's own words blow your silly rhetoric right out of the water. You are a silly little boy.

      October 21, 2012 at 5:29 pm | Report abuse |
    • Go For Wakeshield

      stupid does not discriminate.

      October 21, 2012 at 5:29 pm | Report abuse |
  12. alex

    wait wait wait wait wait
    an idiot on a forum assuming?
    color me surprised

    October 21, 2012 at 5:14 pm | Report abuse |
  13. Lord Toronaga

    Oh noooooo. It's a liberal democrat on the loose with a gun no less...

    October 21, 2012 at 5:18 pm | Report abuse |
  14. nancy

    this should be the number one story – not the debate!

    October 21, 2012 at 5:19 pm | Report abuse |
  15. nancy

    why is this breaking news online an dnot even being mentioned on your tv station?

    October 21, 2012 at 5:20 pm | Report abuse |
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