CHICAGO, Nov 22 (AFP) - Five deer hunters were shot dead and three wounded in a dispute between hunters in the Wisconsin woods, officials said Monday.
According to police, two hunters confronted a man trespassing on their property Sunday and the argument escalated until one man opened fire on the others. One injured hunter managed to radio for help, but others who answered the call were shot with a high-powered hunting rifle.
The victims included a teenaged boy, a woman and three men. Some of the victims had been shot more than once. The three wounded were taken to local hospitals, where one is is in critical condition and the other two are stable.
The suspect has been identified as Chai Soua Vang, 36, of St. Paul, Minnesota.
He was arrested without incident as he stepped out of the woods at the Sawyer County line, in southwest Wisconsin. One of the injured hunters had identified him by the tag number deer hunters are required to wear on their jackets.
Sawyer County Sheriff`s Deputy Jake Hodgkinson told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that the bodies were found "a long way from each other," indicating the killer chased them down after the initial confrontation.
11/22/2004 16:17 GMT - AFP