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Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

Brookfield shooter kills four, injures four

A gunman opened fire in a Brookfield spa Sunday morning at approximately 11 a.m., killing three women and himself.

Four other women in the spa at the time were severely injured in the shooting. The gunman, Radcliffe Franklin Haughton, was a former Marine and reportedly sought to kill his wife, Zina, who worked in the spa located approximately 20 minutes from Marquette’s campus. It was revealed Monday that Zina Haughton was among the victims who were killed.

Prior to Sunday’s shooting, Zina Haughton requested a temporary restraining order against him after he slashed her tires Oct. 8.

On Oct. 18, that turned into a four-year restraining order. In the request, Zina Haughton explained that her husband had threatened her multiple times. The restraining order stated Haughton was prohibited from owning any firearms. Despite this, just two days after the court ordered him to turn in all firearms, Haughton purchased the gun used in the attack, the Associated Press reported Monday afternoon.

Last year, Zina Haughton called 911 from the couple’s home in Brown Deer. Her husband threw her bedding and clothes into the yard and doused her car in tomato juice. Once authorties arrived to Haughton’s home, there was a 90 minute stand off with police before it was ended in a manner law enforement described as “peaceful.”

According to the Waukesha County medical examiner’s office, Zina Haughton, 42; Maelyn Lind, 38; and Cary Robuck, 35, were the three victims killed in the shooting. The four wounded victims remain unidentified at this time. Three are declared to be in satisfactory condition, while one is in critical condition.

Chief Daniel Tushaus of the Brookfield Police Department held a press conference Sunday and explained that they will continue to search part of the 9,000 square-foot-salon, despite Haughton being found dead in the salon Sunday afternoon.

Law enforcement found an object they initially believed could be an improvised explosive. However, after the Milwaukee County Bomb Squad came to assist at the scene, authorities learned it was a 1-pound propane tank. The Brookfield Police Department and Tushaus held another press conference later in the day stating law enforcement believes the incident was a domestic violence incident.

“We are not seeking any additional suspects,” Tushaus said. “Our community can feel safe. It could take days, weeks to figure this all out. A very large crime scene, a very confused crime scene.”

In the later press conference, Tushaus also explained the scene when law enforcement first arrived.

“They encountered smoke in the building,” Tushaus said. “A small fire had apparently taken place upon our arrival in a hallway. We believe the fire was started by the suspect.”

Mary Hacker, a junior in the College of Communication, grew up in Brookfield, and her family still resides there. She sometimes gets her hair and nails done at the salon and spa where the shooting took place, she said Monday.

“For this to happen in Brookfield is very rare,” Hacker said. “We’re a small, wealthy suburban town. Azana Spa is a very high-end salon, two stories, and for a guy to come in and start shooting is the saddest thing I’ve heard. This scares me so much. Mothers, daughters, friends all go to a salon for a relaxing time. One would never expect to get injured, let alone killed.  I never want anything like this to hit so close to home, or anyone else’s home, ever again.”

The Azana Salon and Spa released a statement on its website detailing its gratitude for the support the employees there have received as well as the pain they are experiencing.

“Thank you to everyone in the community for your outpouring of love and support,” the statement read. “We are devastated by this tragedy and remain in shock over how this could have happened. We will continue to update you as we have more details. In the meantime, please keep the victims and their families in your thoughts and prayers.”

The shooting comes just 10 weeks after the tragedy at the Sikh temple in Oak Creek. The temple, located about 20 miles from the spa, held a vigil Sunday night to show its support for the victims. The spa shooting also took place less than a mile from the site where seven people were killed at a religious service in March 2005 at the Sheraton Hotel in Brookfield.

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