It has been 48 hours since a La Crosse camera shop owner and his son were killed inside their downtown business. The La Crosse Police Department does not have suspects in custody.
Police believe May’s Photo owner Paul Petras and his 19-year-old son A.J. were shot sometime around 2:00 pm Saturday, a busy time for the downtown area. Paul’s wife, A.J.’s mother, found them dead in the business about three hours later.
It has been shocking to a community with a typically low homicide rate. There have now been four homicides in La Crosse this year. According to the La Crosse Tribune, that is the most since 1992.
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La Crosse Police Department Captain Robert Lawrence says the crimes are not connected. “The crime appears to be isolated, but we don’t really know at this point. We’re following up on many different leads and angles on this. Could this happen again? It could, but there’s no indication that there’s any other further threat.”
Lawrence adds people should remain vigilant. If someone or something seems unusual, they should contact the police.
A class ended at May’s Photo around 2:00 pm on Saturday. Police have talked with some attendees, but are urging everyone at the class to contact the department.
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