Three Wisconsin police officers who shot and killed a 14-year-old student as he tried to break into his middle school with an air rifle this past spring will not face criminal charges, prosecutors announced on Monday. The officers, Tyler Stephens, Carson Stoddard, and Steve Rosemeyer from Mount Horeb, were exonerated by Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne after it was determined that the air rifle looked like a real firearm and the student refused repeated commands to drop the weapon. The incident took place on May 1 at Mount Horeb Middle School.
Following the announcement, the state Justice Department released hundreds of pages of investigative notes related to the shooting, revealing that the student, Damian Haglund, had planned the attack for months. Investigators found writings in Haglund’s journal detailing a “Battle Plan” dated three months before the attack. He intended to target popular students, burn down the library, and then escape and eventually die. Haglund left behind notes for his mother, stating that the incident was not her fault and asking her to live her life. Surveillance video showed him attempting to break into the school, prompting students to flee in fear.
The officers found Haglund trying to pull open a door and opened fire after he refused to drop the air rifle, fearing that he would harm other students if he gained entry. Despite firing multiple rounds at Haglund, he never managed to enter the school, and no other students were injured. Investigative documents revealed that Haglund had a Molotov cocktail, fireworks, and uranium ore in his possession at the time of the incident. The community, including the Mount Horeb Police Department and Attorney General Josh Kaul, praised the officers’ courage in responding to the armed subject on school grounds.
Haglund, described by teachers as smart and quirky with an oddball sense of humor, was known to be friendly but had been bullied in the past. His classmates stated that he had knowledge about school shooters and was sometimes pushed around by others. Despite his struggles, Haglund had expressed an interest in architecture and enjoyed hiking and playing video games. The investigative files released are intended to help the community understand the tragic events that unfolded that day. Mount Horeb, a village of around 7,750 people, has been deeply impacted by the incident, emphasizing the heroism of the first responders.
