Multiple people have been shot in a ‘critical incident’ at a cemetery where a funeral was taking place in Wisconsin, police say.
The incident took place during the funeral at Graceland Cemetery in Racine on Thursday afternoon, according to TMJ4
“Please avoid the area of Graceland Cemetery due to a critical incident,” Racine Police Department tweeted.
“At 2.26pm there were multiple shots fired at Graceland Cemetery. There are victims but unknown how many at this time. The scene is still active and being investigated.”
Police have not officially confirmed the number of victims or described their conditions.
The funeral was being held for Da’Shontay L King Sr, the Draeger-Langendorg Funeral Home and Crematory confirmed to TMJ4 News, which says that up to five people may have been injured.
King was reportedly shot and killed by a Racine police officer on 20 March when he was pulled over during a firearms investigation.
Investigators claim that King got out of his vehicle with a firearm and when he refused to drop the weapon was shot and killed by police, according to the news outlet.
The nearby Ascension All Saints Hospital was put into lockdown following the incident, officials say.
“Due to a situation offsite, increased security measures have been put in place at Ascension All Saints Hospital. Patients are still able to keep previously scheduled appointments and the emergency department is currently accepting patients,” the hospital said in a statement.
“However, out of an abundance of caution, the number of open entrances into the hospital has been reduced and additional security screenings have been implemented.”
The shooting comes a day after a gunman killed four victims in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at the Saint Francis Hospital campus.
Tulsa police chief Wendell Franklin told reporters on Thursday morning that Michael Louis, the suspect, wanted to kill Dr Preston Phillips over recent back surgery and pain he felt.
He said the suspect purchased a semi-automatic rifle hours before the shooting took place on Wednesday afternoon, killing another physician, a receptionist and a patient.
