Facebook Live video shows what happened inside the van that sparked mass chaos on the freeways, spurred two shootings and sparked a standoff that lasted several hours Tuesday evening in western Waukesha County. It’s the one side of a standoff we rarely get to see.
“Give me 15 minutes and I will surrender, on my word, otherwise she gets shot now,” one suspect yelled at dispatchers.
The woman who was allegedly being held hostage took her Facebook friends inside the suspect’s van via livestream as he made several requests and threats.
“Give me 15 minutes, 15 minutes,” the suspect said. “I need to talk to some people and say goodbye, that I’m going to prison so please, 15 minutes.”
Police said the two inside the van were wanted earlier in the day on Tuesday after a DNR warden began to chase the stolen van they were driving through Kettle Moraine State Forest.
Waukesha County sheriff’s deputies took over the pursuit as the two headed north on State Highway 67. Cell phone video from a driver showed one officer throwing out stop sticks. Another driver captured the sound of an officer firing multiple rounds at the suspect’s vehicle as it approached the overpass above I-94.
Just as the chase ended, a five-hour standoff began. Sheriff Eric Severson explained how officers approached the vehicle.
“Tactical gas was deployed into the vehicle and the male fled with the female at gun point,” he said. “As the male fled the vehicle with the gun pointed at the female, two tactical officers fired at the male, striking him multiple times.”
Severson said the woman stabbed K-9 officer Justice before both were taken into custody. The male suspect remains in the hospital in critical condition. The female suspect is in stable condition.
Everyone in Waukesha County on Tuesday and has a cell phone received an emergency alert last night advising them to stay away from the area. It’s the first time Waukesha County has used that type of alert for a crime scene.
The suspects names have not been released.
