A woman from Wisconsin is now facing several felony charges after allegedly shooting and killing a former colleague in what authorities describe as a politically driven incident.
According to court documents, 31-year-old Diamond Wallace has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Police allege that she fatally shot Christine Jones, 61, in a parking ramp as Jones was heading to work.
The tragic event unfolded on March 22 in Madison, Wisconsin.
(Dune County Sheriff’s Office)
Wallace and Jones had worked together at a hotel until Wallace’s termination in April, according to a criminal complaint obtained by CBS 19. Around the same time, Wallace was accused of vandalizing Jones’ car by slashing her tires.
The complaint, which refers to Jones as “CAJ,” reveals that Wallace had accused Jones of being racist and was unhappy with her support for former President Donald Trump. Jones had previously complained about Wallace’s work performance before Wallace was dismissed from her job.
“Wallace had additionally previously accused CAJ of being racist and had expressed animosity towards CAJ for being a Trump supporter,” the complaint says. “Hotel staff further reported that Wallace blamed CAJ for her termination and had threatened her after she was terminated. In speaking with CAJ’s daughter, it was learned that CAJ had previously complained about Wallace for laziness at work prior to Wallace’s termination from the hotel.”
Commuters drive into downtown Madison, Wis., on East Washington Avenue as extreme temperatures hit the region. Jan. 29, 2019. (Lauren Justice for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
The Republican Party of Dane County, home to Madison, released a statement calling the alleged murder a “deliberate, targeted act of violence.”
“Violence of this kind does not emerge in a vacuum. It grows in a culture where dehumanization — political, personal, or otherwise — has become far too common,” the organization said. “When disagreements turn into resentments, and resentments turn into justification for violence, we lose the very thing that makes a community a community – our shared humanity.”
“RPDC condemns this killing in the strongest possible terms. No grievance, no workplace conflict, no personal resentment ever excuses violence. Ever,” the statement continued.
President Donald Trump addresses the nation to give an update on Iran. (Alex Brandon/Pool via Reuters)
“Some will be tempted to turn this tragedy into a partisan argument or to deflect towards national political debates. We reject that impulse. It is about a woman in Dane County who lost her life. We urge every Dane County resident, regardless of background or belief, to recommit to the most basic civic shared responsibility: treating one another as human beings worthy of dignity, safety, and respect for one another.”
Court records show that Wallace is being held on a $2 million cash bond. A preliminary hearing is set for April 14.
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