ST. CROIX COUNTY (DrydenWire) - The Court has sentenced a Minnesota man for his involvement in a violent incident that occurred in January 2024 in the Village of Hammond, in St. Croix County, Wisconsin.
BACKSTORY
In February 2025, the Village of Hammond Police Department announced the arrest of Antonio Thelen, a St. Paul, Minnesota man wanted in connection with a violent incident that occurred on January 30, 2024.
Thelen was taken into custody on the morning of February 13, 2025, in a coordinated operation between the Hammond Police Department and the St. Paul Police Department.
According to authorities, Thelen was involved in an altercation with patrons at Ras’s on Main, a local establishment in Hammond, during the early hours of January 30, 2024.
After leaving the premises, Thelen allegedly returned with a firearm and fired multiple rounds through the front window of the business. One patron sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot wound in the incident. Thelen then fled the scene, prompting an ongoing investigation and a search for his whereabouts.
Felony arrest warrants were issued for Thelen following the shooting, and law enforcement agencies have been working to locate him since.
On February 13, 2025, officers from the St. Paul Police Department successfully apprehended Thelen without incident. He was taken into custody on the outstanding felony warrants and was held at the Ramsey County Jail in Minnesota, awaiting extradition to Wisconsin.
The Village of Hammond Police Department expressed gratitude for the assistance provided by the St. Paul Police Department and reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the safety of the community.
UPDATE
Charges were filed against Thelen immediately following the incident, including 4 counts of Class F Felony 1st Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety, Class G Felony Possess Firearm - Convicted of Out-of-State Felony, Class I Felony Injury by Negligent Use of Weapon, and Misdemeanor Carry Concealed Weapon. Penalty enhancers were attached to the charges for the use of a dangerous weapon and for being a repeat offender.
Following his arrest in Minnesota in February 2025, Thelen appeared in St. Croix County, Wisconsin circuit court on May 5, 2025. The Hon. Judge Scott Nordstrand ordered a $100,000 cash bond for Thelen. A preliminary examination hearing was held a few days later, and Judge Nordstrand heard testimony regarding the case. Judge Nordstrand found probable cause to bind over.
Thelen appeared most recently in St. Croix County circuit court on November 26, 2025, while in custody, to be sentenced on convictions of one count of Class F Felony 1st Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety and Class G Felony Possess Firearm - Convicted of Out-of-State Felony. The remaining charges against him were dismissed and read in at a hearing in September 2025.
Judge Nordstrand ordered Thelen to serve prison terms on both convictions. He is ordered to serve a total of 7 years and 6 months of initial incarceration, followed by 5 years of extended supervision with credit for 286 days already served in confinement.
Conditions of his supervision will require Thelen to undergo a mental health/psychological evaluation and an alcohol and other drug assessment, and follow through with recommended treatment. He will be required to maintain absolute sobriety. He is ordered to complete Moral Reconation Therapy and all other programming as deemed appropriate by the Department of Corrections.
Last Update: Nov 28, 2025 10:59 am CST
