APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A man who allegedly fired shots in the air and held police at bay at a church Thursday in Appleton was charged Monday with recklessly endangering safety and other counts.
James Cooper, 33, was expected to make an initial court appearance Monday afternoon.
According to the criminal complaint, police responded to St. Bernadette Parish for man who climbed on to a roof, and fired a shot. After more than an hour and a half, Cooper agreed to come off the roof.
At the jail, Cooper “advised he would fight, injure and possibly kill anyone he could in order to not be placed at either a hospital or institution,” the complaint states.
Cooper told police he went to Iris Place to help him cope with the anniversary of his mother’s suicide, but eventually argued with a staff member. He then got a weapon and brought it there.
Iris Place is a counseling center on the church campus, but is not operated by the church.
“James stated he fired because he wanted law enforcement to respond as he wanted people to understand his story and what he was going through,” the complaint states. “James stated he had not wanted to hurt anyone.”
