A gunman killed three people in Menasha on Sunday night before killing himself, in an incident the northeastern Wisconsin city’s chief of police said marks the “end of innocence” in the Fox Valley.
Sergio Valencia del Toro, 27, open-fired at the city’s Trestle Trail bridge around 7:30 pm on Sunday. He killed 33-year-old Jonathan Stoffel and his 11-year-old daughter Olivia. Adam Bentdahl, 31, was also killed.
Menasha Police Chief Timothy Styka described the shooting as “random.”
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Stoffel’s wife, Erin, was shot three times and is in critical condition. Emergency Doctor Ray Georgen of Theda Clark Hospital said she was able to get her 5- and 7-year-old sons out of danger and send for help.
“You can never underestimate the power of a mother to protect her children,” said Georgen. “To have three gunshot wounds and be able to get off that bridge and save two of your children is incredible when you think of what she’s had.”
Del Toro is thought to have argued with his girlfriend before the incident. Police say he was armed with two handguns.
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