Local News
Initial Hearing For Shooting Suspect
The 19-year-old Fond du Lac man who shot guns off in Fond du Lac and North Fond du Lac prompting a heavy police response made his initial appearance in Fond du Lac County Court Wednesday. Bond was increased for Mason Paasch to $15,000 cash. He’s facing one felony and nine misdemeanor charges. Paasch who posted $5,000 cash bond Monday was taken back into custody to the County Jail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for next Thursday.
The Criminal Complaint:
Complainant is a Captain with the City of Fond du Lac Police Department and bases this complaint upon the report and investigation of officers with the City of Fond du Lac Police Department as well as officers from the Village of North Fond du Lac Police Department.
On October 9, 2013, at approximately 7:12 p.m. the Communications Center received a report of a man with a gun shooting outside of a residence at 754 Glenwood Drive in the City and County of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Prior to officers arriving on scene they received information that a physical altercation had occurred during a soccer match and the losing party went to retrieve a gun and fired the gun into the air.
Upon arriving at the scene Officer Meilahn made contact with Ryan P. Tess-Wanat. Ryan stated that around 7:00 p.m. he was at 754 Glenwood Drive in Fond du Lac playing soccer with a group of individuals. Ryan stated that Luke Peltonen arrived with two other individuals, Andrew Meurer and Mason Paasch. Ryan stated that Meurer and Paasch were highly intoxicated and brought a case of beer with them. Ryan stated that Paasch and Meurer were holding cigars and beer cans while trying to play soccer and that Paasch was the most intoxicated of the two. Paasch was getting increasingly more physical with the other players. Ryan stated he felt Paasch was trying to instigate fights and that the others tried to ignore him while he was “trying to start things with us.” Ryan went on to say that Paasch made an odd comment in reference to the house they were at indicating the house was nice and something along the lines of robbing the house.
Ryan stated that Paasch was getting so physical that one of the others, Brian Murphy, put Paasch in a bear hug to stop him from hurting anyone further. Ryan stated that Murphy and Paasch ended up wrestling on the ground and Brian ended up on top of Paasch and was pinning him down while Paasch was still resisting. While on the ground Brian punched Paasch in the face two times with a clenched fist and Paasch continued to verbally attack Brian. Ryan went on to say that Brian got off of Paasch and tried to walk away and leave and Paasch was still calling Brian names such as “pussy” and “you would walk away!” Ryan stated that Paasch then went into his backpack and pulled out something that Ryan originally thought was a beer can. Ryan stated that Mason Paasch walked towards Brian while Brian’s back was to Paasch and then saw Paasch hold his hand up in the air and Ryan heard a gun shot as well as saw a muzzle flash. Ryan then stated that he instantly began to run to the opposite direction and while running he heard another four to five gun shots. Ryan stated Paasch was wearing blue jeans, red and black DC shoes and a gray short-sleeved t-shirt when he last saw Paasch.
Detective Ledger made contact with another witness, Andrew Meurer. Meurer told Ledger that he rode with Luke and Paasch to the house on Glenwood Drive. Prior to getting to the house, Meurer stated Paasch pulled the gun out from his waistband and that the gun was a revolver and that it looked like it had a Ruger symbol on it and that this occurred in Luke Peltonen’s van before getting to the soccer game.
Detective Bobo made contact with Lucas Runge. Lucas stated that during the soccer game Murphy and Paasch were involved in a fight and both exited the soccer field. Lucas went on to say while Paasch and Murphy were approximately twenty feet apart, Lucas saw Paasch raise his hand in the air and could see that he had a gun. Lucas also heard a loud bang and saw the flash of fire from the gun and stated he ran into his house and while running into his house he heard a couple more shots and once inside he heard more gun shots and then called 911.
On October 9, 2013, at approximately 8:14 p.m. Officer Hanson heard through dispatch that there was a report of a male who shot a gun in the air and it appeared the gun shot had come from a rifle. Officer Hanson made contact with Eric Rahmel at 631 Florida Avenue in the Village of North Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin. Rahmel stated that he was outside with his girlfriend and her daughter and Rahmel noticed a male walking past the front of the residence and mumbling something to himself.
Rahmel stated he heard the male say something to the effect of “shut the fuck up” which was directed toward Rahmel’s girlfriend’s daughter. Rahmel stated as the male got closer to the house the male stated “get the fuck inside and shut the fuck up.” Rahmel stated he told the male to keep walking at which point he saw the male pull a gun from out of the bag on his shoulder and turned around and fired one round into the air. Rahmel stated the gun looked like an assault rifle similar to an AR-15. Rahmel said the male was wearing a red shirt, blue jeans and had short hair and a short stocky build. Rahmel stated he then saw this male take off running and cut through backyards. Rahmel stated he got the other individuals he was with inside the house and chased the male for a short period because he was afraid the male would continue to shoot and he was afraid for his kids.
Paasch was eventually taken into custody on October 9 at his father’s house in North Fond du Lac by law enforcement officers.
Detective Kaufman took a statement from Lucas Peltonen. Lucas stated that he picked up Meurer and Paasch and Paasch was talking about not taking anything from anybody and seemed ready for anything. Lucas stated Meurer was talking about it being illegal for a nineteen-year-old to carry a gun saying that someone had to be 21 and Paasch said that you just had to be eighteen to carry a gun. Lucas also saw Paasch raise up the front of his shirt exposing a snub-nosed revolver that had a black grip with black metal. Lucas stated that Murphy and Paasch got into a physical altercation during the soccer game on Glenwood Drive and after the two were separated Paasch went to the sideline and grabbed the gun and as Murphy was walking to the front of the house, Paasch ran after Murphy with the gun in hand.
Lucas stated Paasch was saying things like “you don’t know who you’re messing with” and “don’t fuck with me” and then Lucas heard two shots go off. Lucas stated he made contact with Paasch and everyone else had scattered. Paasch was holding the gun down at his side.
Lucas stated he was trying to calm Paasch down as Paasch was still swearing. Lucas was attempting to get Paasch into the vehicle parked on the street and while doing so, Paasch pointed the gun over his head and fired another shot. Once inside the vehicle Paasch sat in the front passenger seat and fired the gun from inside the car towards the Runge’s house with the round going over the house.
Lucas stated he saw Paasch emptying the revolver into his hands and Paasch threw the shells out the window. Lucas then dropped Paasch off at his apartment on Prospect in North Fond du Lac.
Detective Kaufman interviewed Paasch on October 9 and Paasch stated that he had a 38 Special five round revolver with him that he purchased approximately six months ago from a friend of a friend for $200.00 and that he purchased it for self-protection. Paasch stated he had a 40 ounce beer and one to three other cans of beer. Paasch stated he flashed the gun to Meurer and told him that he had the gun with him and brought it in case anything happened.
Paasch stated that while playing soccer he had two to three more beers and that the soccer game was getting physical which led to an altercation with Murphy. Paasch stated after the physical altercation he got his gun and told Murphy to back off and then fired two shots into the air and everyone scattered. Paasch stated that Luke dropped him off near his apartment and he still had the gun with the rounds in it when he was dropped off in North Fond du Lac. Paasch stated he put the rounds from the gun into a bowl in his apartment and the handgun was left on his bed. Paasch then said he took an AK-47 which was in a case which holds twenty rounds and left his apartment.
Paasch stated he brought the gun with him in case the guys from the soccer match came after him and that while walking he heard dogs barking and shot one round straight up in the air and then started running as a group of people said they were calling the police. Paasch stated he arrived at his dad’s residence on Saratoga in North Fond du Lac and left the AK-47 at his dad’s prior to being taken into custody by law enforcement. Paasch also stated that he has shot 1,000 rounds from the AK-47 and over 200 rounds from the revolver involved in the incidents.
Detective Kaufman indicated that during his interview with Paasch he believed Paasch to be intoxicated and observed a strong odor of alcohol from Paasch’s breath, that Paasch’s eyes were extremely bloodshot and his words were either mumbled or slurred. Detective Kaufman’s report also indicates that Paasch originally stated he placed the revolver in a mailbox of an old friend but this ended up being false information. Detective Kaufman, along with Paasch and other officers, responded to Paasch’s residence in an attempt to retrieve the revolver. The officers and detectives went to Paasch’s bedroom where he stated he left the revolver but were unable to find it. They also checked other locations that Paasch had indicated the revolver may have been. During the search of the residence other firearms were found which included rifles, mack 10’s, shotguns, semi-automatics all of which appeared to be loaded. In a further search of the residence the revolver was found in a lock box as well as drug paraphernalia.
Detective Kaufman asked Paasch if he had any regrets and Paasch responded that there were none. Paasch also submitted to a portable breath test which resulted of a test result of .13.