DELAFIELD, Wis. — A quiet Father’s Day turned into a scene of chaos and heartbreak in the Town of Delafield on Sunday afternoon, after a 52-year-old man was shot and seriously injured at a home near McDowell Road and Hickory Hill Drive, according to the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities said dispatchers received a call just before 3 p.m. reporting a man with a gunshot wound at the residence. The victim was rushed to Aurora Medical Center Summit with serious injuries.
Deputies arrested a 25-year-old man in connection with the shooting, which officials are calling a domestic incident.
Investigator Says Son Shot Father
While the sheriff’s office has not publicly detailed the relationship between the victim and the suspect, an investigator on scene told WISN 12 News that the case involved a son shooting his father, making the timing on Father’s Day especially painful for those who live nearby.
Deputies from the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office were joined by Delafield police, the Lake Country Fire Department, and the Waukesha County Communications Center in responding to the home, located just west of Nagawicka Lake.
News crews on scene described police tape stretched around the property and multiple evidence markers placed near the front porch and front yard, signs of an extensive investigation into what happened inside the house.
Officials have not released information about what led up to the shooting or what condition the victim was in following his hospitalization.
The sheriff’s office also has not said whether the suspect will face formal charges through the Waukesha County District Attorney’s Office, leaving many details of the case still unanswered as of Monday.
Neighbors Shaken By Violence Next Door
For the close-knit Delafield neighborhood, the shooting brought disbelief and sorrow. Sandra Martens, who lives next door to the home where the shooting happened, said she first learned something was wrong when her husband and son, who were working on the roof, called down to her after hearing a gunshot.
Martens described the moment as surreal, saying it was hard to process that something so violent could happen in a community known for its calm, family-friendly atmosphere.
Speaking through tears, she said the experience hit close to home simply because of how near it occurred to her own front door.
“It just, it breaks my heart to have something like that happen here,” Martens said. “It hits home right next door. It’s shocking.”
Despite the disturbing nature of the incident, the sheriff’s office emphasized that they believe it was an isolated case and that there is no continuing danger to the public.
Investigators have not indicated that any other suspects are being sought, and the scene has since been cleared after evidence collection was completed.
The shooting remains under active investigation, and police have asked anyone with relevant information to come forward as the case continues.
No further updates on the victim’s condition or the suspect’s formal charges had been released as of Monday morning.
Local residents say the incident has left a lasting impact on the neighborhood, with many expressing concern for the family involved while also processing the shock of violence occurring in such a tight-knit, rural setting.
Community members continue to await further details from authorities as the investigation moves forward.
