Suspicious Man Detained at Oak Creek Sikh Temple
Officers found ammunition in the man's vehicle and "strange" writings about the Aurora, Colorado mass shooting in his backpack, according to an Oak Creek police report.
OAK CREEK, WI -- A man found with ammunition in his vehicle and "strange" writings about the mass shooting in Aurora, Colorado was detained Sunday morning outside the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin.
A police officer saw the man, a 32-year-old from Maryland, enter the temple about 8:40 a.m., according to an Oak Creek police report.
He initially told the officer he drove to the temple wanting to pray with temple members after watching a story about the Aug. 5 shootings, when six were killed and four wounded by white supremacist Wade Michael Page. The man later told police he was writing a book and wanted to talk to members.
Officers searched his backpack and found a large amount of zip ties, a roll of duct tape, "strange" writings about the July 20 mass shooting at an Aurora movie theater and a piece of crime scene tape collected from Aurora, according to the police report.
During a search of his vehicle, officers found several boxes of ammunition, gun cleaning supplies and an empty case from a handgun, according to the report.
An FBI agent interviewed the man and reviewed the items found by Oak Creek police officers.
Officers continued their investigation at the Oak Creek police station, where they made copies of his writings and seized the ammunition.
The police department also put extra patrols around the temple following the incident.
Kathie Johannes
5:12 pm on Thursday, November 1, 2012
Haven't these people gone through enough? Such a shame they have to be wary of everyone now. Hopefully, the OCPD will continue to guard the temple.
KKP
6:04 pm on Thursday, November 1, 2012
Whatever happened to "live and let live"? What gives some people the idea that they have the right to terrorize other people?
Jake
10:03 pm on Thursday, November 1, 2012
Ok, where is the gun? This guy is a problem be careful!
vocal local 1
1:01 am on Friday, November 2, 2012
"Officers continued their investigation at the Oak Creek police station, where they made copies of his writings and seized the ammunition." Since when is AMMUNITION illegal? Why was it seized? Is the man still being held against his will? I know the police cannot search the car without permission or a warrant but what about one's person? Sounds pretty much like POLICE STATE practices to me.
Terri#1
6:31 am on Friday, November 2, 2012
Um...Vocal Local? Better safe than sorry. Duh! Assuming the best of people is what left so many innocent people dead in past situations. The police are here to protect us, and they don't want to take chances and end up with another massacre on their hands. They do what they need to. I applaud their actions. I sure would not want YOU protecting the general public.
oak creek resident
7:52 am on Friday, November 2, 2012
Vocal Local 1: you are a complete and total moron. Duct tape, ties, etc. What do you think they guy was planning???
What an idiot!
Patriot
7:31 am on Friday, November 2, 2012
@Vocal-Absolutely!!! Can you say Police State!! Regardless of the tragedy that took place the police DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT to search people at will just because!! Point being is we have rights afforded to us under the Constitution and it sounds as though this individuals rights were trampled on in the name of public safety. See Terri if you think its okay then well you are no better than they are. If you allow these types of things to take place where does it end?
John Taxthepoor
7:36 am on Friday, November 2, 2012
You sir are a MORON. Thank you cops for preventing more possible killings or injuries. On private property with permission of owners there to keep them safe, you betcha its LEGAL.
OC Oldtimer
9:15 am on Friday, November 2, 2012
Maybe next time an idiot like that enters Oak Creek, the police department could give them vocal local's address and they could stay with her!!
Mike in OC
9:36 am on Friday, November 2, 2012
isn't this exactly what the Patriot Act is for?
Dirk
9:56 am on Friday, November 2, 2012
So what is the status of this individual?
Avenging Angel
10:58 am on Friday, November 2, 2012
Where in this story does it state his car and his backpack were seached without his permission? Keep up the good work OCPD!
Resident of O.C. Paul
1:05 pm on Friday, November 2, 2012
Police don't need a search warrant if the items are sitting in a vehicle in plain sight. Now if the Items are in the trunk or in a glove compartment, then a search warrant is necessary.
Some people need to read and understand what is written in the Constitution, and how it covers the citizens in regards to all other laws and acts. And the rights granted to us by the Constitution trump all other federal, state and local laws...even the Patriot Act. Law enforcement officials also need to adhere to the Constitution, laws and acts, they cannot just do as they please whenever they want. Just because someone looks suspicious does not make them any more dangerous than anyone else, some of the worst criminals are some of the least menacing looking people, but with some peoples logic that I've seen here, maybe next time someone that I don't know steps foot onto my property I'll take action...just because they could potentially want to do me harm...YEAH RIGHT.
A good DA will tell you, nothing can be done to a suspect until they actually do something, hence why they are called a "suspect".
concernedcitizen
5:18 pm on Friday, November 2, 2012
@VocalLocal and Patriot - I am simply appalled by your comments! As a citizen of Oak Creek and an individual that was personally affected by the tragedy at the Sikh Temple in August, I cannot believe that anyone would question the police's actions in this case. A man comes to the site of a previous mass shooting, acting suspiciously and with over 3000 rounds of ammo and you question whether his rights were violated? Are you kidding me? What about the rights of the temple goers to feel safe in their place of worship? I highly doubt that our forefathers intentions, when drafting the constitution, were to protect the rights of individuals who mean to intentionally harm others. It is people like you that hide behind their constitutional rights that perpetuate an environment of hate and racial bias. Had you experienced what temple goers did on that fateful day - witness a mass murderer enter their sacred place and kill innocent people - I highly doubt you would be standing up for this individual's rights. I applaud the Oak Creek Police Department's actions in this case and I hope they continue to be vigilant in their protection of the innocent. As a member of this community and humankind, I feel it is our job to be watchful, open minded, and to educate others so that we can come to a place of understanding and acceptance of all humankind. That is why I am commenting on this article. This community has been through too much and deserves peace!
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psychnurseinwi
8:19 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
What is appalling is that an obviously mentally ill individual with a sick twisted obsession with mass killings and potentially someone who has a fantasy to become infamous as a killer himself, can buy this type of lethal weaponry in the first place. Perhaps he was casing the place to see if he could get away with an attack. Think of how much media attention a second attack would get. These people get off on the attention. It is called negative attention seeking for a reason. Could even be fetishized. Considering he even had police tape from the Colorado incident that points to having mementos that remind him and perhaps bring sexual gratification as his adrenaline pumps. Forget his so-called rights here, I'm sorry this person is not mentally competent to own any weapons. He is delusional and possibly psychotic. I don't want him showing up in my coven.
big ben
5:02 am on Friday, November 9, 2012
Stupid this country used to be all white people then others moved in and the kkk started this whole racist clusterfuck