Gun Theft Suspect May Have Been Spotted Near Wisconsin Church; New Photos Released

JANESVILLE, WI — As a nationwide manhunt continues for a Janesville, Wisconsin accused of stealing more than 18 guns from a Janesville-area gun shop, Church services in nearby Sun Prairie were canceled after a man resembling the suspect was seen at the the church.

The Rock County Sheriff's office stated Sunday morning that church services at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Sun Prairie, Wis. were canceled on Sun, Apr. 9 on after it was reported that a suspicious subject who looked similar to Joseph Jakubowski had stopped by the church on Thursday. Investigators have not been able to verify if the suspicious person from Thursday was actually Jakubowski.

Joseph Jakubowski, 32, is suspected of stealing about a dozen handguns, rifles and possibly an automatic weapon from a local gun shop and sending a threatening, 161-page manifesto to President Trump. The FBI said at a morning news conference that it is offering a $10,000 reward for the capture of him.

According to the Rock County Sheriff's office, as a result of anti-religion sentiment depicted in Jakubowski’s manifesto, local law enforcement has increased patrols at churches within their jurisdictions.

As of Sunday morning, investigators have followed up on approximately three hundred and twenty tips and leads and still have approximately fifty that need to be resolved.

Janesville Schools on Lockdown

Authorities said it’s possible Jakubowski is no longer in Wisconsin, but schools in Janesville and Milton were closed Friday after being placed on a “soft lockdown” Thursday, according to media reports. Jakubowski had told some of his “associates” that he planned to vent his anger at unspecified schools, authorities said, and those individuals turned the manifesto over to authorities.

More than 150 local, state and federal law enforcement officers are searching for Jakubowski, a white male with brown hair and green eyes who stands about 5 feet 10 inches tall. He may be wearing a helmet and bullet-proof fest. Authorities said he is “armed and dangerous,” and anyone who sees him is asked to call 911 or (800) 225-5324 — (800) CALL-FBI.

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At the news conference, Janesville Police Chief David Moore said that while Jakubowski has had previous run-ins with law enforcement and has served time in prison, the anti-government rhetoric in the manifesto “is a new element for all of us,” WISN-TV reported.

Authorities didn’t reveal the exact contents of the manifesto but said it had been sent to the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit. Rock County Sheriff Robert Spoden said Jakubowski has recently been “highly agitated by national politics,” the Janesville Gazette reported.

“Basically, he’s angry at all government officials,” Spoden added.

Jakubowski had expressed “interest in hitting several different targets, and that is of interest nationally,” Justin Tolomeo, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Milwaukee field office, said at the news conference. He did not elaborate.

“As of now, we have an interest in him with regard to his ideology,” Tolomeo said. “But we’re mainly concerned with finding and apprehending him, and then learning his motives specifically.”

In a video obtained by WISC-TV, a man identified as Jakubowski is shown affixing a postage stamp to an envelope addressed to Trump at the White House and containing Jakubowski’s name and return address. A voice off-camera can be heard saying, “You will never forget this face, ever.”

“All right, to anyone who got this letter, you might want to read it. You can see it’s getting shipped. Revolution! It's time for change,” the voice says.

Photo via Rock County Sheriff’s Office