APPLETON - A solemn procession brought the body of a fallen firefighter back to Appleton Thursday following a shooting that left a police officer and a bystander wounded and the suspected gunman dead.

Mitchell F. Lundgaard, a 14-year veteran of the Appleton Fire Department, was shot after paramedics responded to the downtown transit center at about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday for a medical emergency. He is the fourth Appleton firefighter to die in the line of duty and the first since 1933.

"The first responders provided initial medical assistance to (a) male on the bus," according to a statement from the fire department. "The male eventually left the bus and started walking towards the library. While attending to the male, believed to be from the Wausau area, the incident escalated into shots being fired."

Appleton Police Chief Todd Thomas said the man displayed a handgun and shots were exchanged between him and police officers.

The fire department's statement doesn't say what caused the incident to escalate, but does reveal that the 47-year-old man, who was not identified, was also taken to a local hospital where he died of his injuries. It doesn't specify how the man died.

Lundgaard was struck by the gunfire, along with a female bystander and an Appleton police officer. The police officer was released from the hospital Thursday and the woman is in stable condition.

Appleton Fire Chief Jeremy Hansen said Lundgaard, 36, was married and a father to three young children. Hansen expressed gratitude to the fire departments and other agencies that have reached out or expressed support since the shooting.

“Your thoughts and prayers will help us as we continue to honor Mitch the only way we know how: by continuing to serve our community each and every day," Hansen said at a press conference.

Appleton Mayor Tim Hanna described the outpouring of support as "absolutely incredible."

"This, obviously, is a very, very difficult time for our community," he said.

Hanna urged residents not to speculate about what might have happened, promising that additional details will be released following an investigation by the Green Bay Police Department.

“For now, we’re going to do what we do best," he said. "We’re going to honor the memory of our fallen brother.”

Many overpasses across Interstate 41 were occupied by fire trucks and other emergency vehicles Thursday as the procession brought Lundgaard's body to an Appleton funeral home following an autopsy in Milwaukee.

"Everybody needs to come out and show their support and respect for the police and the firefighters,” said Andrew Ratzlaff, an Appleton resident, who was standing along College Avenue as the procession approached. “This is just a horrible, horrible tragedy.”

Jeanne Vanden Voogaard waited for the procession with her 4-year-old granddaughter.

“We just think that they need our support," she said. "They’re always being judged on what they do and we feel they do a lot of good for us.”

A public visitation will be held 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on May 20 at Appleton Alliance Church, 2693 Grand Chute Blvd. in Appleton., according to the Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin.

A private funeral service will be held for family only on May 21.

Support pours in

Gov. Tony Evers released a statement Thursday on Twitter in which he said he and wife, Kathy, "send our deepest sympathies to the family, friends (and) colleagues of the firefighter who lost their life last night."

"We stand with our brave first responders ... as they mourn this loss," Evers said.

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul also released a brief statement.

"My condolences to the family and friends of the brave firefighter who lost his life in Appleton yesterday," Kaul said. "May everyone affected by this tragedy find peace."

The Appleton Public Library tweeted Thursday morning that it would be closed until further notice. Valley Transit re-opened the transit center Thursday afternoon.

'Hostile situation'

Appleton resident Danielle Morris lives near the transit center and saw what she described at first as a commotion.

"It sounded like real loud firecrackers, like consistent 'pow pow pow,' and I was thinking it was too loud for fireworks, so I looked out the window," Morris said. "It seemed like a hostile situation."

Another witness, Annika Leon, heard the gunshots on her way home from work. She stopped her car and saw officers arrive.

"We’re seeing … police coming up and rushing the scene, and then I see a bunch of police crouched down, kind of hiding behind a car with the guns, and they’re all pointing at them," Leon said.

Jason Hammond, a manager at Tropical Smoothie Cafe in downtown Appleton, said he heard a total of between 15 and 20 shots ring out Wednesday afternoon.

“There were people hunkered down by the church over here, hiding from the shooting,” he said. “It was crazy.”

Craig Persha, co-owner of Apollon, a Greek and and Mediterranean restaurant across the street from the Appleton Public Library, was standing outside his business Thursday morning looking at the scene of Wednesday's shooting.

Persha was working at his restaurant Wednesday night when the shooting took place.

"We didn't hear the gunshots, but we saw the ambulance coming and the cops coming," he said.

Patrick Murray, owner of Murray Photo and Video Inc. in downtown Appleton, said the incident made him more aware of his surroundings as he left work Wednesday night.

“Well, it’s the shock of reality of where we are in today’s world,” he said. “Any town is not too small for things to happen.”

Josh Arthurs, a U.S. military veteran, stood outside the transit center Thursday morning holding a U.S. flag and sign that read "We stand with Appleton fire and police."

Arthurs served eight years in the military, including three years in Afghanistan, he said.

“I lost some brothers overseas so I know what it’s like to have that feeling,” he said. “Obviously, every situation is different, but I know it’s not easy.”

Jake Prinsen and Mica Soellner of the Appleton Post-Crescent contributed to this report.