Killing in Wisconsin Was Motivated by Judicial Matter, Attorney General Says

The attorney general of Wisconsin said that a 68-year-old man was killed in his home on Friday in a shooting that appeared to be motivated by a judicial matter, and that others might have been targeted in connection to the case.

Josh Kaul, the attorney general, said in a news conference that the shooting appeared to be “based on some sort of court case or court cases.” He added that “we are not aware of any evidence indicating that there is any active danger to other individuals.”

While Mr. Kaul did not identify the man who had died, an official identified the victim of the shooting as John Roemer, who had served as a judge in Juneau County for several years.

The killing unfolded early Friday morning in New Lisbon, a small, rural town in central Wisconsin. Around 6:30 a.m., according to authorities, the Juneau County Sheriff’s Office received a call that said an armed individual was at a New Lisbon home and that two shots had been fired. The person who contacted the police had left the home and called from a nearby house.

Police officers who responded attempted to negotiate with the gunman but were unsuccessful, authorities said, and around 10:17 a.m., a tactical team entered the house. They found the homeowner, who had been killed, and a second man, 56, who the authorities said was found in the basement, having apparently shot himself.

The 56-year-old man was taken to a hospital and was in critical condition, Mr. Kaul said.

The investigation is being led by the Division of Criminal Investigation, part of the Wisconsin Department of Justice.

Sheelagh McNeill contributed research.