SUN PRAIRIE, Wis. (WKOW) -- New developments have emerged in the case of a deadly shooting that occurred more than a year ago in Sun Prairie. Zachary O'Connell, 22, is facing first-degree intentional homicide and two counts of attempted homicide, one involving an unborn child, as well as first-degree recklessly endangering safety.
A couple who was engaged, expecting a child, visiting family from Brookfield, were out walking with the woman's younger brother and their family dog when the shooting happened. The boy, born in 2017, was holding the man's hand when the gunfire started. The boy told police he may have fainted and saw the man shot in the face. A nearby resident brought the woman, her brother and the dog inside to safety after the attack.
Officers arrived on Martin Street within minutes of the shooting and found 24-year-old William Flanary of Brookfield shot multiple times in the face, torso and arm. He died while officers were still at the scene. His fiancée and their unborn child survived the attack. Flanary's fiancée, who was 22 weeks pregnant, survived a gunshot wound to the chin.
Investigators reported that O'Connell allegedly used Snapchat to track the location of Flanary's fiancée. Detectives found evidence on O'Connell's Snapchat and iCloud accounts containing videos and screenshots they say are derogatory remarks toward women. The criminal complaint states that O'Connell's phone records placed him traveling in Sun Prairie during the attack.
Surveillance video from a nearby home showed a suspect in an orange hoodie firing at close range before fleeing in a light-green Subaru Forester.
Police traced the vehicle to O'Connell's home, which is about six minutes from the scene. They noted distinctive paint damage that matched the surveillance footage. In O'Connell's basement, officers recovered a handgun equipped with a tactical light.
Flanary's fiancée informed investigators that she knew O'Connell from high school. Police believe O'Connell tracked her location through Snapchat, where they were friends, and she had shared her location. The two graduated high school together in 2022 and had a single sexual encounter during their senior year. She told investigators they had little contact afterward but feared he became obsessed with her, especially after she publicly posted about her pregnancy on TikTok.
O'Connell's parents reported a history of violence and mental health issues. Incidents include an attack on his father in 2022, assaults on both parents in 2023, and an arrest in November 2024 for attacking his mother. During the 2024 incident, he accused his mother of infidelity and claimed she was a national security threat.
O'Connell's father told investigators he found two of his own firearms in his son's room after O'Connell was arrested for attacking his mother. One of the guns matched the description of the weapon police believe was used in the Sun Prairie shooting. He said he returned both guns to the family's gun safe after the arrest. Police seized the gun from the O'Connell home, finding it a probable match based on its description and bullet casings at the scene.
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Flanary's fiancée informed investigators that she knew O'Connell from high school. Police believe O'Connell tracked her location through Snapchat, where they were friends, and she had shared her location. The two graduated high school together in 2022 and had a single sexual encounter during their senior year. She told investigators they had little contact afterward but feared he became obsessed with her, especially after she publicly posted about her pregnancy on TikTok.
O'Connell's parents reported a history of violence and mental health issues. Incidents include an attack on his father in 2022, assaults on both parents in 2023, and an arrest in November 2024 for attacking his mother. During the 2024 incident, he accused his mother of infidelity and claimed she was a national security threat.
O'Connell's father told investigators he found two of his own firearms in his son's room after O'Connell was arrested for attacking his mother. One of the guns matched the description of the weapon police believe was used in the Sun Prairie shooting. He said he returned both guns to the family's gun safe after the arrest. Police seized the gun from the O'Connell home, finding it a probable match based on its description and bullet casings at the scene.