Wisconsin Teen Damian Haglund Named as Mount Horeb ‘Active Shooter’

Damian Haglund, 14, has been publicly named as the the rifle-carrying “active shooter” who was shot and killed by law enforcement near a Wisconsin middle school in Mount Horeb on May 1.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel named Haglund based on six sources, saying he was the youth who was “shot and killed by police Wednesday after bringing a rifle to his middle school.” Authorities have not yet named the alleged shooter. The Wisconsin newspaper reported that Haglund “was an eighth grader at Mount Horeb Middle School.”

In a May 4 update, the DOJ revealed that the suspect had a pellet rifle and pointed it at officers.

That report comes as an eyewitness told Madison365 that the active shooter was a “fellow eighth grader.” The Wisconsin State Journal also named Haglund.

Mile Split WI lists Haglund as an athlete in the Mount Horeb “class of 2026.”

Here’s what you need to know:

1. The Wisconsin Department of Justice Confirmed the Suspect Was a Middle School Student Who Was Killed by Police

The state Department of Justice has taken the lead in public release of details, revealing in a news conference that the suspect was a student at Mount Horeb Middle School.

“Police officers from Mount Horeb Police Department responded to a report of someone with a weapon outside the middle school. Police officers responded to the threat and used deadly force,” the press release says.

“This incident took place outdoors. The subject in this case never gained entry to the school buildings during the incident and was a student from the Mount Horeb School District. While the investigation into the details remains ongoing, other than the subject, no other people were physically injured during this incident,” the DOJ’s press release says.

2. Disturbing Snapchat Messages by Damian Haglund Emerged, Reports Say

According to Madison365 journalist Robert Chappell, the gunman “posted cryptic messages to Snapchat” before the shooting. Chappell is also the parent of an 8th grader at the school, an editor’s note on the story says.

The Snapchat posts included, according to Chappell, “Break free from the chains of slavery, cheers to the blood” in Finnish and “My dad is a war criminal” in Bosnian, which Madison 365 reported is a “Serbian war song” title.

Social media users have attributed two X pages to Haglund, but Heavy is working to verify those accounts.

Mount Horeb Area School District wrote in a statement posted to Facebook, “Community members, there has been an active shooter near our middle school this morning. The individual did not breach entryway. Police department is helping to scope out our building to ensure the safety of our students and staff. I will keep you posted.” Photos and videos from the scene showed a massive law enforcement response.

3. Damian Haglund Tried to Break Through a Cafeteria Window, Reports Say

The witness told Madison365 that the suspect tried to “break through a window to the cafeteria during the eighth grade lunch time,” which was around 11:15 a.m., by “using the butt of a long gun.”

The gunman couldn’t get through the window and began shooting at it, according to Madison365, which did not name Haglund.

The Mount Horeb Area School District in Wisconsin confirmed that there was an “active shooter near our middle school” on May 1, 2024, but the gunman did not enter the school.

4. Damian Haglund Is Accused of Stealing His Grandfather’s Car

WISN 1130 AM talk show host Dan O’Donnell wrote on X, “Law enforcement sources say the gunman in Mt. Horeb is a 14-year-old armed with a rifle who stole his grandfather’s car, drove to his middle school.” Authorities have not confirmed those details.

The district wrote that the “alleged assailant” was injured, but no one else was harmed. Further details on the suspect were not released, including age or motive.

Congressman Mark Pocan wrote on X, “My office is aware of reports that an active shooter situation near Mt. Horeb Middle School has been neutralized. I’m grateful for the quick response from first responders. My office has been in touch with local law enforcement, and we will continue to monitor the situation.”

5. A Student Described Hearing a Teacher Yell ‘Run’

A 13-year-old student named Max told WPR that he heard a teacher yell “run” and then ran out a back door.

According to WPR, he and other students “sought refuge at a home nearby.”

“I heard a teacher yelling ‘run,’ and that’s when I knew I had to run out of there,” Max said to WPR. “I just knew that my instincts were telling me to do that.”

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