March 7, 2013

Mystery at the Wisconsin Governor's Mansion: "the bullet passed cleanly through the eye of a decorative ghost."

This was back in October, and the much-protested Governor Walker was not at home. The ghost, part of a Halloween display, looked like this after the shooting:



A female Capitol Police officer lost her job for reporting that the shot was fired outside the mansion.
Tesch was stationed in the security office in a lower level of the mansion in Maple Bluff when her gun discharged, sending a slug through the eye of a cartoon ghost on the windowsill.

Stephanie Marquis, spokeswoman for the state Department of Administration, which oversees the Capitol police, initially said the shooting was accidental, but she acknowledged Wednesday that it is difficult to be certain exactly why the gun was fired.
Accidental... and right through the ghost's eye?

47 comments:

chickelit said...

Gives a spooky meaning to garage mahal's moniker for Gov. Walker during the WI brew-haha: "ol' dead eyes"

Original Mike said...

They fired her? She's a great shot.

traditionalguy said...

That highlights the serious threat of 30 round magazines in the hands of police officers. They are apparently the not safe gun handlers. And their job is stressful and depressing at best...who knows when one will snap and shoot up the Governor's Mansion?

I Have Misplaced My Pants said...

Link is dead.

Let me get this straight--trying to understand what happened there--a Capitol police officer, charged with protecting the Governor and his family and home, or something to that effect, is sitting in a security office inside the mansion and accidentally/"accidentally" shoots a round through the decoration on the windowsill, through the window, and out into the street? Am I misunderstanding this?

Anonymous said...

Erika,

Alternately, Kimberly Tesch, had too much time on her hands, and after 12 months on the job, still had not had her weapons training course (which I find amazing :)



link

Seeing Red said...

It probably sounded good at the time, target practice.

James Pawlak said...

What was the "official" reason for firing that officer? If (As it appears) the shot came from without, all I can write is: GOOD SHOOTING; Those on the left should remember that most of the military grade weapons, privately held in the USA, belong to those "on the right"; And, gun shots can "go both ways".

Capt. Schmoe said...

Accidental my as... er, my eye.

gadfly said...

Althouse needs to correct the link since the entire URL string was not included in her URL. I got the entire link by right clicking the link and inspecting the element.

The lady cop gets an "A" for shooting and an "F" for intelligence. If lie she must, then she needed to get rid of the ghost poster.

Ann Althouse said...

The link is correct now (as far as I can tell). Thanks for the alert.

rehajm said...

Even at close range that's an impressive shot for a one-off.

Perhaps he should have been promoted.

Anonymous said...

On the subject of gun safety, maybe Wisconsin police ought to hire residents who have a clue about guns. You know, country folks who hunt, though they might be whiter and more male than the diverse demographics they may want to hire.

They could learn from the NRA and my grandpa.

1. Always assume all guns are loaded
2. never take your gun from the holster in less you are willing to use it
3. watch the muzzle. Never point a weapon at anything you are not willing to kill
4. If you shoot, aim to kill.

Matt Sablan said...

Consider that ghost busted.

edutcher said...

Ooops, didn't mean that the way it came out.

So much for tolerant, compassionate Democrats.

Lipperman said...

I would like to know how it is possible that an inexperienced officer who did not even have proper firearms training is left responsible for the safety of our Governor.

Anonymous said...

a good union and being a diversity hire?

Gabriel Hanna said...

Had to go through somewhere. The bullet is no more unlikely to go through the ghost eye than anywhere else.

At typical cop levels of marksmanship, I'd say this argues she didn't aim for the eye.

madAsHell said...

the department had extended Tesch's 12-month initial probation period so she could complete her firearms training

Let me read between the lines....

She failed firearms training.

She was allowed to stand as an armed guard....WITHOUT successfully completing training.

I'm sure there is a regulation stating that you must complete firearms training BEFORE you are posted alone as an armed guard.

Her contract was extended because she helps meet the diversity quota.

It takes any competent individual less than 5 seconds to see that the glass fragments went out of the building, and not into the building. Lame excuse.

Walker needs to review his security detail, and roll some heads.

purplepenquin said...

Funny how the knee-jerk reaction is to blame this on "unions".

Due to Act 10, the Capitol Police have lost practically all of their rights to collectively bargain (Walker doesn't consider them to be "public safety workers), and thus are no longer certified as a union.


(And am the only one who noticed that educter just outed himself as using sock puppets?)

edutcher said...

???????

I want to hear this one, too.

garage mahal said...

Not to worry, Walker isn't in Wisconsin very much.

He'll be back in time from fundraising to sign bills making it harder to vote and wrecking our environment though.

And really, if we don't destroy the environment here, won't those mining companies just go somewhere else?

President-Mom-Jeans said...

Ah, theres bitchtits!

Nothing draws him out like a Scott Walker post.

What insights does he have about the story Althouse posted involving incompetent security and the shooting of a ghost? None you say? Shocking!

What can you expect from a barely graduated high school divorced fat loser who is reminded in every Walker thread that his histronics about secret routers amounted to jack shit! Just like his sad pathetic life!

Have nice day fatty.

Lipperman said...

"won't those mining companies just go somewhere else?"

Wishful thinking, NIMBY.
Unless we stop using steel, it has to come from somewhere. Better that place is somewhere in China, Brazil, or in Ukraine, right?

Ann Althouse said...

This story seems really funny, because of the ghost shot through the eye.

But really Walker deserves great security. This is soooo far from the security given to the President. It should be serious and very professional. There is a lot of hatred aimed at Scott Walker (and any governor is a target for numerous reasons).

There should not even have been decorations in the security office at all. Look at that nonsense. Even without the gunshot. It's just not professional. The security guards should be all business. No jokers.

garage mahal said...

Speaking of security: You sure have some fucking angry weirdos that hang out here Althouse.

Calypso Facto said...

And really, if we don't destroy the environment here, won't those mining companies just go somewhere else?

Not to worry, as 5 of the 6 top polluters in Wisconsin the Indian tribes have already got environment destruction in the bag. Maybe turning reservation land over to a mining company would actually be the prudent thing to do?

You sure have some fucking angry weirdos that hang out here Althouse. Yeah, P-M-J, I like busting gm's balls as much as anybody but your obsession is disgusting/pathetic.

President-Mom-Jeans said...

Calypso Facto,

Your opinion is duly noted, and ignored.

Weirdo? Well, thats highly subjective.

Angry? Certainly not, I am in an excellent mood. Hugo Chavez is dead, the sequester is ongoing thanks to some unexpected spine from the Republicans, and Scott Walker continues to competently govern the State of Wisconsin.

If you find it pathetic and disgusting that I respond to idiotic statements on the internet with meanspirited yet completely accurate observations, well, you may digitally kiss my pale white ass.

President-Mom-Jeans said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
garage mahal said...

Maybe turning reservation land over to a mining company would actually be the prudent thing to do?

It's not just reservation land we're talking about. It's statewide. Which is the real game of course. That iron ore mine will/was never going be built.

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

Frankly, it would almost have to be accidental. Even from a few yards away it would be very difficult to deliberately shoot the ghost squarely through the eye with a handgun.

President-Mom-Jeans said...

Angry Weirdos? I sense a lot of anger from this one.

Doesn't make me feel unsecure though, despite the threat to "never leave me alone as long as you post under this name."

garage mahal said...
----Drops microphone

Honestly Phelps, I could give a flying fuck what what an anonymous dipshit on the internet with a "President Mom-Jeans" moniker thinks of me. And you've pretty much guaranteed I will never leave you alone as long as you post under this name. And trust me, I live for this, you cannot and will not ever win this game. Seriously, look at MY avatar!

12/13/12, 4:11 PM

Calypso Facto said...

Haha. Nah, I'll just go back to ignoring you, like I had been doing successfully until garage referenced your post. Cheers.

Astro said...

Was she using a Red Rider BB gun?

Ignorance is Bliss said...

garage mahal said...

...You sure have some fucking angry weirdos that hang out here Althouse.

Somewhere, Gödel is smiling.

ricpic said...

How come the window is unbroken?

Lipperman said...

Windows glass was found outside, which indicates that the shot was fired from inside the mansion.

Former Officer Kimberly Fife aimed the pistol at the Halloween ghost, put pressure on the trigger, but did not mean to fire the weapon. Call it carelessness, or stupidity. An accident it is not.
That is in all likelihood what happened, and the only reason why spokesperson Stephanie Marquis won't say that is because she can't prove it. Either way, former Officer Kimberly Fife's police career is over. Perhaps Brett Hulsey could hire her as his personal assistant?

Unknown said...

If I had shot the eye out of a Halloween decoration with a Glock it would be because I was aiming somewhere else.
But, I would be smart enough to know that glass on the outside of the window argues for a shot coming from the inside.

jacksonjay said...

traditionalguy sez:

That highlights the serious threat of 30 round magazines in the hands of police officers.

Andy used to allow Barney one round and he had to carry it in his shirt pocket!

Synova said...

Yes, accidental. That would be really hard to hit on purpose!

Synova said...

"Former Officer Kimberly Fife aimed the pistol at the Halloween ghost, put pressure on the trigger, but did not mean to fire the weapon."

Entirely possible. I can just see it... bored... sitting in a swivel chair spinning it half-way one direction, half-way the other... starts one of those SHTF fantasies... pulls her gun out and points it at the ghost...

"Imma gonna get you bad guy!"
*pew*
*pew*
*pew*
*BANG*
"Sht!"

Chip Ahoy said...

The article says 10Lbs of pressure for the trigger, specifically to make sure the shot is purposeful. 10 Lbs is a lot. That's like a sack of potatoes. The thing that gets me is squeezing that hard would have to affect the aim. Same thing with bows. If you're struggling with pulling the string, the arrow wavers. Yet she hit it right smack in the eye and that's excellent shooting even without their specialized training. I imagine untrained shooters holding the gun sideways gansta style, and I'm appalled whenever I see that on tv, but this woman seems to have joined the force already a very good steady shot. Still, good thing she's gone from that job.

Synova said...

10 lbs is crazy. I still think that hitting the eye of the ghost is obviously chance, simply because pistols aren't that accurate. (And sure, I've gotten exact bullseyes before, but there's a reason professional shooters talk about "groupings.")

Ignorance is Bliss said...

Hitting the eye might not be chance if the gun was held within inches of the target. If I was investigating this I'd be looking for powder burns on the ghost.

Kirk Parker said...

"There should not even have been decorations in the security office at all. Look at that nonsense. ... It's just not professional. The security guards should be all business. No jokers."

I don't know about that. Do you have any idea how boring working security is, even in a demented state like WI? A great, huge majority of the time... ... ... ...

... ... ... ...

... ... ...

... ...

...

nothing happens!

I'd cut the officers quite a bit of slack as far as anything decorative that helps with the ennui, and reserve "unprofessional" for crap like taking your handgun out of its holster without a very good reason. (Maybe even "criminally unprofessional" in this case.)


Rusty said...

She should be fired.
The ghost was surrendering.

Ignorance is Bliss said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ignorance is Bliss said...

Maybe she shot because she mistook it for a klansman.