On August 4, 2020, James Gruettner, a 59-year-old White man, was shot dead at his daughter Rebecca Borkowski’s home on Minnesota Street in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Gruettner had been at the house that evening helping with a vehicle repair alongside a family friend, John Miller, when Borkowski’s ex-boyfriend, 39-year-old Joshua Aide, arrived. Aide opened fire, wounding Borkowski and Miller and killing Gruettner; Gruettner was pronounced dead at the scene.

Aide fled but was arrested a few hours later by the Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office and charged with first-degree intentional homicide for Gruettner’s death and two counts of attempted first-degree intentional homicide for the shootings of Borkowski and Miller. Aide maintained he acted in self-defense, saying Gruettner attacked him and that others had brandished weapons; prosecutors portrayed the attack as rooted in domestic violence, jealousy, and control, noting Aide had called Borkowski 49 times that day.

Gruettner is survived by his wife of 31 years, Julie, and his children. Does anyone have information about the evening of August 4, 2020, or knew James and his family?