WAUKESHA, Wis.— A 21-year-old Waukesha man is now facing six felony charges after a hostage situation at a Meijer store last month ended with a police shooting.
Anthony J. Lehman appeared in court Tuesday. A judge set his bond at $1 million. He remains in the Waukesha County Jail.
According to the criminal complaint, Lehman called 911 himself on July 30 and told dispatchers he had taken a hostage inside the men’s bathroom at the Meijer on Sunset Drive.
Lehman told dispatchers he had a knife and what he called a “dead man switch.” Investigators later determined that was a spring clamp with two razor blades attached.
The complaint says Lehman also had a bottle of glue and tried to get the hostage to glue his hands to the floor.
The hostage eventually fought back with his belt and followed Lehman out of the bathroom, warning other shoppers that Lehman had a knife. Investigators say Lehman then threatened a Meijer employee and two customers.
Police eventually confronted Lehman. Investigators say he raised a knife toward the hostage and refused commands to drop his weapons. An officer fired three shots, hitting Lehman. One of the rounds also unintentionally struck the hostage’s thumb.
The hostage was treated and released from the hospital.
Lehman is charged with first degree reckless injury, false imprisonment, three counts of second-degree recklessly endangering safety and making terrorist threats. Each charge includes a dangerous-weapon enhancer.
Lehman’s status conference is scheduled for August 27, followed by a preliminary hearing August 28.
The Milwaukee Area Investigative Team, led by the Greenfield Police, is continuing its independent investigation into the officer-involved shooting.
