Full Notification

On February 4, 2011 at 1:15 p.m. the City of Ripon Police Department was contacted by friends of a male Ripon resident who were concerned about the male subject's mental state. They said the male subject had made some comments that concerned them and that the male subject had taken a hunting gun with him. The friends also indicated that the male subject was not answering his cellular phone.

Ripon Police Department personnel contacted the cell phone company and were able to determine an area(southeast section of the city) where the cell phone was located. This was discovered at 1:57 p.m.

After an extensive search of the city Ripon Police Officers located the subject's vehicle on the south end of Barlow Park which is located on the south side of Ripon. The vehicle was located at 2:39 p.m. The male subject was observed in the vehicle from a distance. Due to the close proximity of Barlow Park Elementary School(K-2 primary school) the school was placed on lock down.

Because the subject was known to be armed with a hunting gun, additional assistance was requested from the Fond du Lac County Sheriff's Department. At 3:17 p.m. Officers approached the vehicle and found a male subject who was deceased. The school was released from lockdown shortly thereafter and the Ripon Police Department and the Fond du Lac County Medical Examiner's Office are conducting an investigation.

The vehicle in question was located approximately 450 feet north of the north entrance to Barlow Park Elementary School.

Chief Dave Lukoski
CPS Mark Preissner
City of Ripon Police Department