BARRON, Wis. — A Cumberland man, Clayton Lauritsen, 21, appeared in court on a homicide charge in the shooting death that began with a road rage confrontation. Bond was confirmed at $75,000. Police said that Lauritzen had called 911 that someone had been shot and identified himself s the shooter. The victim was Lauritz Keith Robertson, 45, a landscaper. As police pieced together what happened, Lauritsen was chasing Robertson and another man on December 28 after confronting them near his home in Barron. Apparently Lauritsen was originally after a family friend of the victim. The family friend told police that Lauritsen, whom he didn’t know, was following him in his car. Lauritsen texted the victim for help during the ordeal saying, “I may die.” The friend was able to lose Lauritsen, but when he doubled back, he saw a familiar truck in the middle of the road and found Robertson on the ground with a gunshot wound to the chest. Police arrived less than a minute later. In Lauritsen’s car police found a 9mm handgun and a spent shell cartridge on the driver’s seat. Lauritsen admitted he had a gun. Lauritsen’s passenger quoted him that he wanted to fight the victim’s friend and then put a gun in the center console of his car.
Lauritzen. Conviction could put him behind bars the rest of his life.