Midwest
Court docs shed light on Wisconsin bar shooting where newlyweds were gunned down
A career criminal allegedly killed a newlywed couple during a tense bar robbery after a bartender threatened to call police and tried to knock the gun out of his hands, court documents say.
Thomas Routt Jr. barged into the Sports Page Barr in Elkhorn, Wisconsin shortly after midnight on Feb. 1, and told the bartender – Gina Weingart – to get on the ground, according to the probable cause affidavit obtained by Fox News Digital.
She threatened to call the police and “slapped the gun, and it went off.” the affidavit says. Then Weingart dropped and “went limp,” Routt Jr. allegedly told police.
Once she went down, Routt Jr. shot her husband, Emerson, and stole $120-$140 from the register, the affidavit alleges. He saw Emerson was still alive, so he allegedly shot him again as he left and chased an unnamed witness.
PERSON OF INTEREST IN CUSTODY AFTER WISCONSIN NEWLYWEDS GUNNED DOWN IN BAR SHOOTING
Emerson and Gina Weingart were gunned down inside a sports bar in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. (FOX 6 Milwaukee)
Thomas Routt Jr. was charged with two counts of first-degree intentional homicide by use of a dangerous weapon, armed robbery and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. His lawyer said he pleads not guilty. (Elkhorn Police Department)
The 57-year-old career criminal, the newlywed couple and the unnamed witness were the only people in the bar at the time. Gina and Emerson died at the scene, but the witness escaped while Routt Jr. allegedly fired “two or three” shots, according to the affidavit.
“The eyewitness said Routt brandished a handgun and pointed it at Gina, the bartender, and ordered them not to move,” the Elkhorn Police Department said in a statement. “The eyewitness said they instinctively got up off their barstools, and Routt pointed the gun at the eyewitness and ordered the eyewitness not to move.”
“The eyewitness said they sat back down and said Routt subsequently fired the gun at Gina and the eyewitness immediately fled out the door, calling 911 after distancing themself from the scene.”
‘SUSPECT’ IN WISCONSIN BAR SHOOTING MAKES ‘EMPHATIC’ DENIAL IN NEWLY KILLINGS: LAWYER
When detectives asked Routt Jr. why he carried out the violent robbery, he allegedly responded, “More than likely for the money,” according to the affidavit.
Routt Jr.’s lawyer, Russal Jones, told Fox News Digital that he “maintains the presumption of innocence” and will plead not guilty.
“The criminal complaint is written by the district attorney, and is a summary of their version of facts,” Jones said. “Any evidence that is referenced, including statements, attributed to my client have not been examined for their admissibility or credibility … Judgment should be reserved until evidence is presented, not before.”
Gina flashes her new engagement ring after Emerson proposed in October 2021. They were married last summer. (Emerson Weingart/Facebook)
Emerson and Gina Weingart were “inseparable” from the time they started dating in 2020. They were married in June 2023, and died in a bar shooting a week ago. (Emerson Weingart/Facebook)
Routt Jr. allegedly tried to dump the gun and ammo at a gas station, which detectives found in bags in a dumpster, according to the affidavit.
He was arrested three days after the deadly robbery – around 3:20 a.m. on Feb. 4 – during a traffic stop on Interstate 43 in the town of LaFayette, Wisconsin, which is less than 10 miles from the crime scene.
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At the time of his arrest, he was being held on an unrelated matter that violated terms of his August 2020 parole.
Routt Jr. has multiple felony convictions, including burglary and arson, according to court documents. In November 2008, he beat an inmate.
Emerson and Gina Weingart at Lambeau Field, home of their beloved NFL team, the Green Bay Packers. (Gina Weingart/Facebook)
Young lives taken ‘by act of a coward’
Gina worked at the bar, and the couple were regulars at a place they loved to hang out. It was the same place where they were gunned down.
A family member posted on Facebook that it was a “senseless bar robbery” that claimed their lives too early.
“Emerson would go to the bar after work and hang around while Gina would work to support her as she would work late. They were only married for 9 months, married just this past summer,” a cousin, Brittany Weingart, said in a Facebook post.
Social media posts and comments poured in for the couple, who “became inseparable,” since they first got together in 2020. They got married last June.
Gina and Emerson Weingart walking down the aisle during the June 2023 wedding. (Gina Weingart/.Facebook)
The owner of the bar posted a heartfelt message on Facebook honoring the young couple and called the shooting “the act of a coward” and changed their photo to include Gina and Emerson surrounded by friends and family.
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“I want to talk about the two lives that were tragically taken from us too soon. Our bartender, Gina, and her husband Emerson, both dear friends of ours,” the bar owner posted on Facebook.
“Their lives were just beginning, and I believe I speak for our entire Sports Page family by saying we are absolutely devastated by what happened. It is a despicable act of violence that has shaken all of us to our core.”
Fox News Digital’s Stepheny Price contributed to this story.
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The Pistons have made recent moves to add more shooting, but still don’t have anyone quite as lethal as former Detroit guard Luke Kennard. On Saturday night, Kennard had a brilliant start to his postseason with 27 uber-efficient points for the Lakers in a win against the Rockets. His level of 3-point accuracy is something the Pistons have desperately been seeking all season long to bolster their offense.
Luke Kennard’s shooting makes him a dangerous playoff performer
Kennard was originally drafted to Detroit with the 17th pick of the 2017 Draft. The Pistons have plenty of draft regrets from that general era of team history, but picking Kennard has never been one of them. Despite any other weaknesses he may have, his strength as a shooter has always been enough to offset them.
In terms of pure 3-point percentage, Kennard is one of the best shooters in NBA history. He averages 44% behind the arc for his career, and shot a blistering 48% this season – the best mark in the league. Given his incredible track record, it’s not exactly a shocker to see him shoot 5-of-5 from three en route to 27 points in Game 1.
Not only is Kennard obviously an excellent standstill shooter, but he’s also a master of getting himself open with his movement. On Saturday night, he was able to play off LeBron James perfectly for a few easy looks. After that, he caught enough of a rhythm to create 3-point looks for himself, even in transition.
A player like Kennard is easily capable of turning an entire playoff game when he gets hot. In a close series, that one game where Kennard hits several threes can be all the difference his team needs to advance. If the Lakers do manage to win this series, even without Luka Doncic or Austin Reaves, Kennard’s shooting will be a major reason why.
The Pistons could use someone like Kennard
Kennard would be a perfect marginal addition for the Pistons that only makes them better without taking anything away from the team. To be fair, the Pistons do have two shooters who have been hot recently in Duncan Robinson and Kevin Huerter. But having more than one respected shooter on the court at a time is often necessary to maintain a solid offense in today’s NBA.
Given the Pistons’ current lack of shooting, any additional shooters are welcome. And Kennard is understandably one of the most feared shooters in the league, capable of bending defenses just by the threat of him taking a three. Rolling him out on the Pistons would surely open up more lanes for Detroit’s stars to attack the paint and score easier points.
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MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee Police Department requested the public’s help to find 11-year-old Sir’Charles Bason, a critically missing boy who was last seen near Teutonia and Kiley at around 6:20 p.m. on Saturday, April 18.
Police described Bason as 4 feet, 5 inches tall with a slim build, brown eyes and black, low-cut hair. He was last seen wearing a gray jacket with green lines, dark-colored jeans, tan sandals and carrying gray Nike Jordan shoes.
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What you can do:
Anyone with information on Bason’s whereabouts is asked to call Milwaukee Police District 4 at 414-935-7242.
The Source: The Milwaukee Police Department released information.
The scene of the crash at 26th Avenue North and Emerson Avenue North in Minneapolis. (FOX 9)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A Minneapolis woman was sentenced for her role in a deadly crash that killed two women and injured two other people in December 2024.
READ MORE: Minneapolis woman charged in fatal high-speed crash faces additional charges
Woman sentenced in fatal Minneapolis crash
Big picture view:
Prosecutors say Teniki Steward drove a Buick Enclave into a bus shelter and a Ford Explorer after speeding through a red light.
Both of the women in the Ford Explorer died in the crash. They were identified as 53-year-old Ester Jean Fulks and 57-year-old Rose Elaine Reece.
During the crash, the Ford Explorer went off the road, injuring a 17-year-old boy who was waiting for a school bus.
The passenger in Steward’s vehicle also suffered injuries.
Minneapolis police said that Steward was also injured in the crash.
Steward pleaded guilty to multiple murder charges.
What they’re saying:
During the sentencing, the daughter of one of the victims had a statement read on her behalf:
“There’s nothing that can truly prepare you for the moment your entire world is taken from you. Losing my mom has left a pain in my heart that words will never be able to explain.”
What’s next:
Minnesota law requires that Steward serves at least two-thirds of her sentence, a bit under eight-and-a-half years, in prison.
Fatal Emerson and 26th crash
The backstory:
According to the criminal complaint, through surveillance videos from the scene of the crash and witnesses, investigators learned that Steward, driving the Buick Enclave, had been driving at a high rate of speed northbound on Emerson Avenue North.
Before the fatal crash, Steward sped through the intersection of Emerson Avenue North and Broadway Avenue North, running a red light and nearly causing a crash, the charges said.
Steward then continued to speed northbound down Emerson Avenue North, and ran another red light at 26th Avenue North, hitting the Ford Explorer, which was traveling eastbound, according to the complaint.
The Ford Explorer had been at the intersection of Emerson and 26th on a green light.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty shared the following statement:
“This was an egregious act that took Rose and Esther’s lives and injured a child waiting to go to school at a bus stop. Ms. Steward was driving at extremely dangerous speeds on city streets and narrowly avoided multiple collisions before the incident occurred. Third-degree murder charges are appropriate to hold her accountable and protect our community.”
The Source: This story uses information gathered from an Olmsted County court appearance and previous FOX 9 reporting.
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