MADISON – Senator Van Wanggaard (R-Racine) expressed outrage at the Racine Journal Times for terming the heroic actions of a Racine sheriff deputy as a “homicide”.
“The Racine Journal Times should be ashamed of itself. Words have meaning. There is no equivalency between the cold-blooded murder at the Pilot Travel Station and the life-saving actions of the deputy,” said Wanggaard. “I don’t know what they were thinking or why they tried to equate the two events. It makes no sense and it’s disgusting.”
The headline in the online edition of the Racine Journal Times today states “Gas Station Shootings Are Racine County’s Sixth and Seventh Homicides in 2021.” The article both online and in print describes the murder at the Pilot Travel Station as “the sixth homicide of the year” and then describes the valiant action of the sheriff deputy as “the seventh homicide.” In the fourth paragraph informs that a “[h]omicide is a legal term for any killing,” and that the deputy likely acted in self-defense in line with his duties”
“I don’t care if they are grammatically correct, it’s morally wrong,” said Wanggaard. “This sheriff deputy deserves praise for his courageous efforts, and should not be lumped in with the actions of a criminal. He likely saved many, many lives yesterday. He deserves acclaim and the thanks of our community. His life-saving actions should not be characterized as a homicide – by anybody. He’s a hero. End of story.”
