On August 18th, 2024, officers in Wasau, Wisconsin responded to a report of two males fighting near Washington Street and North Fourth Street. During the fight, 44year-old Thomas Schroeder punched a man in the face, causing him to hit his head on the concrete in the street as witnesses began frantically calling 911. Thomas fled the scene. >> Looks like the male who punched the other male was last seen on the corner of Jefferson. The real god Jefferson wearing jeans and a black shirt has 31 hair about 6 foot 323 bleeding from the year can come up. Just some gauze. He's waiting from the back of the head. It looks like the gear. Do >> you want me to? >> No, he's he's he's good right now. Left ear from the back of his head. So, I think off the max a little bit with serum rubs. Nothing too crazy. >> Okay. >> Hey, buddy. Hey, I just want to grab the stretcher. >> What's his name? >> I don't know. >> These people just found him here. >> They don't know who he is. >> It's the homeless guy we always deal with. >> He's got the 100 on. Does he? >> Yeah. >> He's always in the ramps. Um, >> so nobody saw him fell. Nobody knows how he got on the ground. >> We know. Uh, somebody said he got punched by somebody, but >> Okay. Did he fall after that or >> I think so. I think he got punished. >> Thank you. Yep. >> Male on the ground here. >> There is blood coming out of his ear, not just >> Can you guys head a photo of his ear quick. >> Okay. >> So, you're Henry, huh? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Just let me get some information from you real quick and then we'll have you explain what what all you saw >> when this all happened. Why don't you explain it to me? >> Okay. So, we were we were coming back from the um Bells of Vera or whatever it's called. >> Um we were trying to get our way here. >> Um we got on I think it was Washington Street. Is that where I called you guys to? The corner of Washington? >> Yep. >> Okay. We were on Washington Street slowing down and the gentleman that punched the other guy was walking through the parking lot and the guy with the hat on in the backpack was walking towards him or like just a few steps behind him. >> Okay. >> And the guy turned around and I I had my window down and they were they were hollering at each other and I don't exactly know what they were saying. Um, but then the guy turned around and like punched and swung and he missed and he stepped the the guy miss like missed and stepped back and he got up again and punched him out and I punched him like did a right hook right to his face and he just tipped back and he was like on the edge of the like kind of like this. >> Okay. And he tipped back and landed straight on the road and he was just like this. >> Okay. And then he got over him and he's like, "That's what I thought." And swore at him. And then I was like, "All right, keep driving." >> Okay. >> You call 911. Just keep driving. I don't want to stop. >> Okay. >> Cuz we have five kids in the car with us. >> Oh, shoot. >> Okay. So, they're all freaking out. >> So, is you, your wife, and >> and our children. >> Okay. So, the one gentleman is walking straight forward. >> Yep. He was heading across the parking lot like coming towards us. Um, and the other gentleman was just a few feet behind him. >> And the guy turned around and kind of pushed and swung at the same time and missed the first time and then kept going after him and then hit him as he was like on the edge of the sidewalk like this and that's how he fell. >> And the fall sounded terrible like >> Okay. >> Like a watermelon smashing on the ground. >> An officer in the area spotted the suspect only one block away from the crime scene. Were you involved in this little skirmish? >> Yep. >> You were? >> Yep. >> Okay. What happened? >> Uh, he was running around town saying [ __ ] about the women. >> Okay. >> So, I knocked him out of his ass. >> Okay. >> Is that okay? >> Well, not really. >> It's not. No. Throw me in jail. >> Okay. >> Okay. Let's go. >> So, no. Hold on. I was >> Let's go. >> What the >> You're not going to swing on me, [ __ ] >> I'm not swinging on you. I'm not swinging on you, sir. Then >> what the hell, >> sir? I'm not swinging on you. >> I'm not your stomach. >> Okay. On your stomach now. >> Okay. Why are you doing it? >> God damn it. >> Did you hear? >> Are you hurt, >> sir? Are you hurt? You got to do that for I was walking towards this car. >> All right, let's get let's get him over on his side. >> Check this front waist, man. >> TV pretty quick. >> Don't care. >> Son of I am. >> Okay, let's get him stand up. >> Ready? >> Yep. >> Tuck your shoulders. >> Yep. >> Okay, >> stand up here. >> Stand up. >> Here you go. >> Sorry. Sorry about that. My fault. >> Good. Let's get him in yours. Bobby, let's have a search real quick up here. >> Just face the windshield here. Separate your feet for me. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> No. No. You can calm down, too. I'm not going to go anywhere. I think Jesus Christ ambulance especially if they get transported [Music] over there. When you get in there, there's a camera up to the left. Just stand in the corner facing the camera for me. Okay, go ahead and step in. >> Standing here. Stand in the corner facing the camera up there. >> You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say standing will be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to consult with a lawyer before questioning and have a lawyer pressuring. If you cannot afford to hire a lawyer, one of the appointed represent public access before or during questioning if you so wish. If you decide to answer questions without a lawyer present, you have the right to stop the question and you remain silent at any time you wish and the right to ask for a lawyer at any time, including during questioning. Do you understand your rights with your arrest of you wish to talk to me? >> I do. >> So, I've already made a referral. I I was the one that referred you for the uh felony murder charge. Okay. >> We have certain criteria that appears to be met. So we refer I'll refer this is from what we can tell and investigated at this point this is the appropriate charge on this side. >> I had a string right on the side of his head. >> Okay. Right. Um it would have been this side. >> His right. His right. >> Okay. Got it. >> Okay. And uh then I turned around and threw him down on the ground. Just he he hit him in the head. Turn him on the hit him on the ground. He's hit his head pretty hard on the pavement. >> So when he said he'd throw him down, did you grab him by his grab by a jacket back >> and you pull and pull him down to the ground? >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> You walked away and went up traffic. Then you kind of walk around this way. >> Yeah. >> Mhm. >> Why'd you come back? >> Uh because I heard the siren >> and I thought it might have been Chad which hurt. You know, >> you So, you didn't think you hit Chad that man when you punched him? >> No. Well, I didn't get I've seen him get punched before him. >> Okay. >> I didn't think I hit him, but I hit him hard enough. >> Yeah. Yeah, I understand. >> I think he hit your friend. >> He fell. He fell hard and he >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition where he tragically died the following day. Thomas was transported to the Marathon County Jail and charged with felony murder, resisting an officer, and misdemeanor bail jumping. He is still in custody on a $100,000 cash bond, awaiting trial.