Marinette Student Gunman Case Closed

An update on the hostage situation and suicide involving a teenager at Marinette High School back in November.

Marinette, Wisconsin police say they still don’t know why 15-year-old Sam Hengel held his high school class hostage for 6 hours before fatally shooting himself.

But they do know what issues were not at play.

Investigators talked to Hengel’s family, friends, classmates and even Boy Scout leaders to figure out why he brought two handguns and ammunition to class on November 29th.

Releasing a 350–page report on the investigation, Marinette’s police chief says Hengel apparently acted alone.

He said there were no indicators beforehand to suggest Hengel was planning the attack.

There’s no evidence to suggest he was being bullied, and he had not suffered a recent breakup with a girlfriend.

Toxicology reports came back clean.