Wisconsin man's school shooter-like appearance was a Halloween joke, not a 'terrorist threat,' say family and friends
Diana Dombrowski
SHEBOYGAN - Family and friends of an Oostburg man accused of making a terrorist threat say his actions were a joke and that he is being unfairly maligned by the charge.
Aaron J. Mauer, 22, was charged in early November after a friend reported a photo Mauer posted to Snapchat of himself in what he later said was part of a Halloween costume. The photo showed Mauer wearing a trench coat and mask, holding an AR-15 rifle. The caption read: "Coming to a school near you."
Two fellow soldiers who served with Mauer in the Wisconsin National Guard were among those who wrote letters in support of Mauer to Judge Daniel Borowski. One described Mauer as a dedicated worker and compassionate friend. The other said everyone who knows Mauer knows the post was meant to be humorous.
A youth pastor at an Oostburg church wrote that he's been friends with Mauer for 15 years and that Mauer has a dark sense of humor. He can still do a lot of good for his community and country, the pastor wrote.
After appearing in court Monday afternoon for an arraignment, Mauer and his attorney, Barbara Kirchner, declined to speak about the charge.
Mauer's arrest sparked debate on social media, some commenting on the serious nature of the threat and others maintaining it was a joke.
In Sheboygan County this school year, there have already been five incidents related to guns or threats at schools, including Mauer's.
School safety is of particular concern throughout the state after two recent incidents. A police officer shot an Oshkosh West High School student last week after authorities say the student stabbed him. The day before, a student at Waukesha South High School brought a gun to school and a police officer shot the student.
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A terrorist threat charge — a felony that can bring up to 3 1/2 years in prison and $10,000 in fines — can be brought even in cases where it can't be proven that the threat was intended, but it was still deemed "reckless."
The "reckless (charge) doesn't mean you intended to actually create this public panic or fear," said Sheboygan County District Attorney Joel Urmanski.
Prosecutors will have to prove Mauer threatened to cause death or bodily harm to a person or property, and that the threat would be seen as a serious expression to do harm by a reasonable person.
Additionally, they will have to prove he created an unreasonable or substantial risk of one of the following: preventing people from occupying a building or other area, causing public inconvenience, causing public panic or fear, or causing an interruption or impairment of governmental operations.
Lastly, they will have to prove he was aware of that risk.
According to a criminal complaint:
A friend of Mauer's took a screenshot of the photo Mauer posted to his Snapchat story, which would have otherwise only been visible to his friends for 24 hours. The friend showed the photo to police and said he'd never seen Mauer behave that way before. Mauer had just returned from being deployed overseas, the friend told police.
Police made contact with Mauer, who was wearing a black trench coat, combat boots and a mask. When asked about the photo, Mauer said it was a joke and went with his Halloween costume. Police asked him what his costume was and Mauer said he wasn't sure.
Mauer said a friend took the photo in Oostburg at his request and confirmed the AR-15 was real. When a deputy explained the offense was serious and a cause for concern with the prevalence of school and mass shootings Mauer seemed to laugh and not take the matter seriously.
Police executed a search warrant of Mauer's home and seized numerous firearms and ammunition, including an M&P AR-15 long rifle that matched the AR-15 in the photo posted on Snapchat.
In another letter submitted on Mauer's behalf to Judge Borowski, the mother of one of Mauer's friends wrote that she'd gotten to know Mauer well and that the photo was a joke meant for his close friends. She said she was disappointed in his behavior but that he learned his lesson.
Mauer's parents also wrote a letter, saying their son was planning on buying a house in the coming year and that he had plans to become a master mechanic and serve in future deployments in the National Guard.
Contact Diana Dombrowski at ddombrowski@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @domdomdiana
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