Sara H. Quirt Sann, a 43-year-old Caucasian female, was a dedicated attorney whose life was tragically cut short on March 22, 2017. A lifelong resident of the Wausau, Wisconsin area, she was known as a loving wife, stepmother, and a fierce advocate for children in Marathon and Lincoln counties through her work as a guardian ad litem. Her commitment to her profession and the community was a hallmark of her character, making the violent circumstances of her death all the more shocking to those who knew her.
The events that led to her death began earlier that day, rooted in a domestic dispute. A man named Nengmy Vang, embroiled in a contentious divorce, initiated a shooting spree across the Wausau area. Vang first went to the Marathon Savings Bank in Rothschild where his estranged wife worked. After a confrontation with her, he returned to the bank and fatally shot two of her colleagues, Dianne Look and Karen Barclay. His rampage, however, was not over. His next destination was the law office in Schofield where Sara was working, representing his wife in the divorce proceedings.
Upon arriving at the law firm, Vang forced an employee at gunpoint to lead him to Sara's office. There, he shot and killed her. The violence continued when Vang fled to his apartment in the nearby village of Weston and barricaded himself inside. As law enforcement established a perimeter, Vang shot and killed Everest Metropolitan Police Detective Jason Weiland. The ensuing standoff lasted for hours, culminating in an exchange of gunfire with officers.
The suspect, Nengmy Vang, was injured during the shootout with police. He was taken into custody and transported to a local hospital for his injuries. Ten days later, on April 1, 2017, Vang died from the gunshot wounds he sustained during the standoff. In the wake of the tragedy, Sara's legacy prompted legislative action. A bill known as "Sara's Law" was passed in Wisconsin, making it a felony to harm or threaten lawyers and other officials for their work on family law cases, a direct response to the targeted violence that ended her life.
