(Story by Gazette reporter Frank Schultz)
A Wednesday night shooting that left a Milton man hospitalized in critical condition was self-defense and no charges will be filed, authorities said during a news conference Thursday afternoon.
The man suspected in the shooting, Jason P. Kraayvanger, 21, was released from custody Thursday. He had been held in the Rock County Jail overnight on suspicion of attempted first-degree intentional homicide, a jail official said earlier Thursday.
Rock County District Attorney David O’Leary said the facts gathered by investigators indicate the shooting was self-defense.
The shooting left one Milton man, Zachary J. Barrett, 30, hospitalized.
A call of a disturbance at a house in the 300 block of Elm Street came at about 8:22 p.m. Wednesday.
While officers from the Milton Police Department and Rock County Sheriff’s Office responded, additional information was received that there was a man on the scene with a gun, according to the press release.
Within a short time, additional witnesses called 911 and reported gunshots, according to the release.
Officers found a 30-year-old man with a gunshot wound. A 21-year-old man was also present and said he was involved in the disturbance, the press release states.
The 21-year-old was detained by officers and remains in custody as the investigation continues, according to the press release.
The shooting victim was transported to Mercy Hospital and Trauma Center in Janesville and later transferred to University Hospital in Madison via MedFlight, where he is in critical condition, according to the release.
At 3:40 a.m. Thursday, a search warrant was executed at the residence to document the scene and search for evidence. The weapon involved in the shooting was recovered at the scene, the press release states.
The two men involved in the shooting are acquaintances, and this was not a random crime,Marquardt said.
The incident remains under investigation.
Gazette staffers Alison Bradley and Neil Johnson contributed to this report.
