OSHKOSH (NBC 26) — The trial of Grant Fuhrman, who is charged with attempted homicide of School Resource Officer Michael Wissink, began in earnest Tuesday, as both sides presented opening statements and jurors heard witness testimony for the first time.
During opening arguments, the prosecution argued that Fuhrman, who was 17 at the time, planned and carried out a plot to kill Wissink with a grilling fork at Oshkosh West High School in December 2019.
"Just like a shark circles its victim in the water...Grant Fuhrman circled the halls of Oshkosh West High School, waiting for the right moment to go into Officer Wissink's office, take his helpless victim and go in for the kill," said Assistant District Attorney Tracy Paider.
The prosecution stated that Fuhrman was "stabbing [Wissink] repeatedly," before the officer was able to pull out his gun and shoot Fuhrman, accidentally shooting himself in the process.
Fuhrman's defense team, however, argued that the evidence suggests an object other than the fork the defendant allegedly brought to school that day may have been responsible for some of Wissink's injuries.
Defense attorney Tim Casper conceded in his opening statement that a wound to Wissink's left shoulder did appear to be caused by the fork Fuhrman allegedly brought to school that day, but argued there is "no medical evidence" to show injuries to Wissink's head and neck were caused by the same object.
"There's gonna be no physical evidence that he was stabbed repeatedly," Casper said.
The court adjourned for the day slightly after 4:00 p.m., but the trial is scheduled to resume tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. and continue on into the second week of February.
