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Principal Dies In School Shooting

Authorities: 15-Year-Old Student In Custody

Updated: 8:14 am CDT September 30, 2006

A principal who was shot at school Friday morning in Sauk County has died following surgery at a Madison hospital.

VIDEO: Watch The Latest Report | VIDEO: Watch Superintendent Interview | VIDEO: Parents, Students React To Shooting | SLIDESHOW: Weston School Shooting Images

John Klang, principal of Weston School, (pictured left) died Friday afternoon at approximately 3:30 p.m. at UW Hospital and Clinics.

A team of surgeons -- from cardiovascular surgery, trauma and neurosurgery -- treated Klang for gunshot wounds to the head and chest.

Sue Klang, wife of John Klang, said the family is deeply grateful for the tremendous outpouring of support from friends and the larger community.

The shooting occurred at Weston School, which is a prekindergarten through high school in the Weston School District, and the victim was the principal for all grade levels. The school is near Cazenovia, in the southwestern part of the state.

Authorities said that the shooting occurred at the school complex and the students have been evacuated. School district officials said that all students are safe and weren't injured in the incident, WISC-TV reported.

Klang was taken to Reedsburg Medical Center, where he was in critical condition. He was then transferred by air to University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison, where he died. UW Hospital spokeswoman Lisa Burnett said that Klang arrived at the hospital at about 11 a.m., WISC-TV reported. The Sauk County sheriff said that Klang was shot in the head, chest and leg.

Sauk County investigators said that a 15-year-old boy is in custody. District Attorney Patricia Barrett identified the suspect as Eric Hainstock (pictured right). Melissa Nigh, the district's dean of students, said that the suspect was a student at the school. Authorities said that Hainstock has been taken to a law enforcement facility in Baraboo.

Barrett said Hainstock is being charged with first-degree intentional homicide in adult court.

Barrett said the student apparently had plans involving the principal. She said he told a friend a couple days ago that the principal was not likely to "make it through homecoming."

School custodian Dave Thompson said that he saw the teen coming across the parking lot armed with a shotgun and ran to the entrance of Weston High School to intercept him. Thompson said that the boy was already inside when he and another teacher, Chuck Keller, confronted him. He said that the boy pointed the shotgun at Keller's face and told him he was going to kill someone.

Thompson said that's when he grabbed the barrel of the shotgun, swung the boy around and disarmed him.

He said that the boy then began digging in his pockets. He thought the teen had another gun, so he screamed at Keller to run. Thompson said that Keller ducked into an office and he ran outside, re-entering the building through another door to call 911.

The student then broke loose and was confronted by Klang.

Police said the suspect then pulled out a handgun and shot Klang three times. Other staff members and students were able to subdue the suspect, WISC-TV reported.

Police said they do not know at this time who the student was targeting.

Still hanging on to the shotgun, Thompson said that he found one shell in the chamber and three others in the magazine. Thompson said that the student seemed calm, but "was on a mission."

Sauk County authorities said that they aren't looking for any other suspects at this point, WISC-TV reported.

Police were apparently called to the school at about 8 a.m., but the suspect was subdued before they arrived, according to Sauk County authorities.

The school's homecoming game was scheduled for Friday night. The shooting has caused school officials to cancel all events scheduled for this weekend.

Superintendent Terry Milfred said the school will be open to students, parents and community members on Monday from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., for crisis counseling.

Milfred said classes will resume on Tuesday. There are 365 students who attend the school.

Criminal Complaint: Suspect Allegedly Said He Was Teased

According to a criminal complaint, Hainstock said that he had been teased and called names and he felt school personnel wouldn't do anything about it.

The complaint said that Hainstock had received a disciplinary warning from the principal on Thursday for having tobacco on school grounds, and he was likely facing an in-house suspension.

Hainstock told investigators that a group of kids had teased him by calling him "fag" and "faggot" and rubbing up against him. He said that he decided to confront students, teachers and the principal with the guns to make them listen to him.

The complaint said that he pried open his family's gun cabinet, took out a shotgun and then took a handgun from his parent's bedroom.

The complaint said that he shot the principal intentionally three times.

High School Student Killed In Car Crash

In an unrelated incident, a student from the school was killed on Friday in a car crash.

Sheriff's authorities said that the victim was Erick Fichtel, 16, a junior at Weston.

According to the Sauk County Sheriff's Department, a deputy tried to stop Fichtel's car for speeding before 8 a.m. The deputy said that he lost sight of the vehicle, but when he came upon the intersection of Harris Road and Highway K, he saw the vehicle crashed into the shoulder, WISC-TV reported.

Sheriff Randy Stammen said that Fichtel was driving, and he wasn't wearing a seat belt.

The department said that a passenger in the vehicle who was wearing a seat belt wasn't seriously injured.

Fichtel was taken by MedFlight to Madison, but he was pronounced dead.

Milfred said the class schedule for Tuesday might be changed pending funeral arrangements for the student.

A memorial service was held at 8 p.m. on Friday at the school.

The school is near the town of Cazenovia in Sauk County. It is a community of about 300 about one hour northwest of Madison.

Stay tuned for continuing coverage.

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