News

Actions

Schools close amid Wisconsin manhunt for gun theft suspect

Wanted man sent 161-page manifesto to White House
Posted at 11:23 AM, Apr 07, 2017
and last updated 2017-04-07 17:38:31-04

JANESVILLE  -- Officials have closed several schools in southern Wisconsin as police search for a man suspected of stealing numerous guns and threatening to use them against public officials or a school.

Rock County Sheriff Robert Spoden said Joseph Jakubowski is considered armed and extremely dangerous.

"Please do not approach him," Spoden said.

The FBI is now offering up to $10,000 in reward money for any information that leads to Jakubowski's arrest. Anyone with information on shis whereabouts is asked to call 608-757-7911 or 1-800-CALL-FBI.

According to Spoden, law enforcement officials believe Jakubowski stole 16 high-end firearms from a gun store in Janesville on Tuesday, before lighting a vehicle on fire shortly afterwards.

On Thursday morning, the sheriff said authorities became aware that Jakubowski had been "highly agitated by national politics lately."

Since then, Spoden said more than 150 law enforcement officers have been searching for him.

"They've searched approximately 12 different locations," the sheriff said.

He said an associate of Jakubowski's turned over a 161-page manifesto the Rock County man sent to President Donald Trump.

"It's really a long laundry list of injustices he believes the government, society, and the upper class have put forward onto the rest of the citizens," Spoden said.

Spoden said that document is now being evaluated by experts in the FBI's behavioral analysis unit.

The sheriff added someone who knew Jakubowski mentioned he'd made unspecified threats against schools during a recent interview with Janesville Police.

Some schools in the area closed Friday as a precaution. Others took extra safety measures.

Spoden said the sheriff's office isn't instructing schools to close, but is continuing to monitor schools in the area as part of its investigation.

Janesville Police Chief David Moore said authorities aren't sure if Jakubowski is still in the area.

"He could be around Janesville. He could be around Rock County. Or he may not even be in Wisconsin," Moore said.

Moore said Jakubowski is well known to Janesville PD officers and Rock County deputies.

"There was one specific case where he attempted to disarm a police officer," Moore said.

"But what we've not seen in the past is his anti-government, or terrorist, type info. That's a new element for all of us," Moore said. 

Be sure and watch TODAY'S TMJ4 on Roku! We are the only station in Milwaukee to provide the latest news, weather and sports on the device. Search for us on Roku today!