A Wisconsin woman is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly shooting and killing a former co-worker in an incident motivated by politics.
Court records show that Diamond Wallace, 31, faces first-degree intentional homicide and felon in possession of a firearm charges. Police say she shot and killed Christine Jones, 61, in a parking ramp while Jones was on the way to work.
The killing happened on March 22 in Madison, Wisconsin.
Wallace and Jones were former co-workers at the same hotel until Wallace was fired in April, according to a criminal complaint obtained by CBS 19. At about the same time, Wallace was accused of slashing Jones' tires.
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That complaint, which labels Jones as "CAJ," also said Wallace had labeled Jones racist, and was upset that Jones supported President Donald Trump. Jones had complained that Wallace was lazy at work before Wallace was fired.
"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."
The Republican Party of Dane County, home to Madison, released a statement calling the alleged murder a "deliberate, targeted act of violence."
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"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.
"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.
