Oneida Casino Shooting

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GREEN BAY, Wis — A gunman killed two people at the Oneida Casino complex and seriously wounded another Saturday night before he was shot and killed by police. Brown County Sheriff's Lt. Kevin Pawlak says the gunman was seeking a specific employee but that person wasn't at the casino. Pawlak says the gunman then decided to shoot some of that person's friends or co-workers 먹튀검증업체
GREEN BAY

The Oneida Casino in Green Bay, Wisconsin, is the site of a deadly shooting late Saturday night. A gunman killed two people and wounded a third before being shot by police. The shooter was a former employee of the casino, 62-year-old Bruce Pofahl.

The Brown County sheriff’s office says the gunman had a “personal relationship” with an employee at the Duck Creek Restaurant inside the Radisson Hotel part of the Oneida Casino and Resort complex near Green Bay in northern Wisconsin. The sheriff’s office says the intended victim wasn’t at the casino, so the gunman decided to shoot the victim’s co-workers and friends instead.

A witness described a chaotic scene after the shots were fired. Robert Hesson was attending a friend’s birthday party in the banquet room and heard staff yelling at people to get out of the building. He said people were running for their lives. “There were cops everywhere,” Hesson said. “They were running like they were chasing somebody.”

After a while, police told people to head back into the casino and not to run away from their cars. At least a dozen officers were on the scene, and more were on the way.

Miron partnered with the Oneida Tribe on several projects over the years, including renovations of their main casino at 2020 Airport Drive in Ashwaubenon. The project was completed in June 2014 at a cost of $28 million, and included a main casino expansion to 17,500 SF, a new 9-table poker room, a sports bar/grill, and four additional restaurants: Vince Lombardi’s Legendary Sports Bar & Grill, Boar’s Head Gourmet Deli, Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Express, and a food court.

The casino’s management team was devastated after the shooting. They issued a statement saying they were “deeply saddened” and their hearts go out to the victims, their families, and all first responders. The Oneida Nation has also announced it will offer a monetary gift to each victim’s family, as well as to the first responders and their communities.

The West Mason and travel centers are open, but the main casino, Packerland casinos, and Irene Moore Activity Center are closed until further notice. The Oneida online casino and bingo hall will remain open.
ONEIDA NATION

Oneida Nation is a proud people, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have their share of pain and sorrow. The healing process is long and hard, but the hope for a better tomorrow is strong. Throughout the years there have been many attempts to destroy the Oneida culture and way of life. It seems that each time they were brought to their knees the Oneida found a way to rise up again.

One of those times was when they were forced to relinquish their lands to white settlers. Then there was the war. This war created a deep rift in the Nation between those that remained behind in New York and those that moved west to Wisconsin. These divisions still exist today.

The rift was widened further when the settlers began to tax the repurchased lands of the Oneida. That is why in 1985 the Oneida Nation fought back and won a historic court case that upheld the existence of the reservation.

Now when you visit the Oneida Casino in Ashwaubenon or even the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center across the street, there is a sense of pride that is felt by those that are there. You see it in the murals on the walls depicting the three clans of the Oneida, the Turtle, Bear and Wolf. You hear it in the words of Louise Cornelius, gaming general manager at the Oneida Casino.

When the casino first opened, the Oneida Nation knew that they would need to do things differently. They wanted to make sure that they were going to be a good corporate citizen and they also wanted to do their part for the community.

So when it came time to open the doors to the Oneida Casino they knew that they had to make sure that it was going to be a great place for everyone to enjoy.

That is why they hired an outside company to do the security and safety for them. They also worked with a consultant to ensure that they were in compliance with all state and federal regulations. That is why they were able to have such a successful launch.
POLICE

Police say they are not looking for anyone else connected to the shooting at the Oneida Casino and Radisson Hotel complex in Ashwaubenon Saturday night. The shooter was killed by police. Two people were killed and another was injured in the incident. Brown County Sheriff’s Lt. Kevin Pawlak says it appears the shooter was targeting a person who works at the Duck Creek restaurant inside the Radisson Hotel attached to the casino, but that person wasn’t there. The gunman then decided to shoot the victim’s friends or co-workers, Pawlak said.

Police responded to the scene at 7:30pm when a call came in about shots fired. The suspect, 62-year-old Bruce Pofahl, was shot dead by officers shortly after that. Witnesses describe a chaotic scene. They heard multiple gunshots and saw employees running for their lives. Those who were in the building when the gunfire started are being interviewed by investigators.

Pawlak says the investigation is still in its early stages but it does not appear there was a threat to the community. He says the suspect had a personal relationship with a person who works at the Oneida casino, but that person wasn’t there when the shooting occurred. The shooter then decided to kill the victim’s friends or co-workers, he said.

Investigators have not determined a motive for the attack. Pawlak says he does not believe the shooting is connected to any other incidents on or off the reservation.

The tribe says it is offering counseling services for its employees and customers. More information on the program will be released soon.

The Oneida Nation has tweeted its West Mason and Travel Center casinos will be open Sunday morning, but the main casino will remain closed until further notice. The Packerland casino and Irene Moore Activity Center will also be closed until further notice. The Oneida reservation lies on the western edge of the Green Bay area. For more on this story, stick with CBS 58 on air and online for updates. You can also follow us on Facebook. Thank you for your support.
MEDIA

A trove of photos, body-worn camera footage and more documents have been released in the aftermath of a shooting at the Oneida Casino in Ashwaubenon. The new information sheds a much clearer picture of what happened at the complex last week.

62-year-old Bruce Pofahl killed two people and injured another before he was killed by first responders in what has been called a mass shooting. He opened fire on a pair of employees at Duck Creek Kitchen and Bar in the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center, which is connected to the casino.

Police say Pofahl had a personal relationship with the person he was targeting, but that person wasn't at the restaurant at the time. So, investigators say he decided to shoot some of the intended victim's co-workers or friends instead.

The shooter fired a total of 26 shots during the attack, including 11 in close range, according to a Brown County Sheriff’s Office news release. Several of the shots were fired from inside the restaurant, where dozens of people were seated and waiting for their meals to be served.

Dan Mulligan was a cook at the restaurant at the time of the shooting, and he says he never imagined that Pofahl would walk in with a gun. But, he says it was chaos once the shooting started. He describes a scene of people flipping over chairs and jumping over each other to get out of the way.

Oneida Nation Chief Executive Officer Louise Cornelius released a statement saying that "our hearts are breaking" over the incident. She said the tribe is working closely with police to provide support for employees and guests of the hotel and casino.

Police located Pofahl in the parking lot and he pointed a handgun at officers, who shot him multiple times. The officers have been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation. This is a developing story and FOX 11 will have more updates as they become available. Until then, please stay safe and stay informed.