Affidavit reveals Middleton shooter's mental health history

Fourteen years ago, South Dakota officers considered Anthony Tong a danger to the public.

This came from an incident in 2004 where Tong’s concealed carry permit was revoked.

According to an 2004 affidavit we obtained from South Dakota, the Sioux Falls Police Department initially responded to a report of a disabled fire alarm.

While investigating, police found Tong in his apartment where he had dismantled all electricity, including ceiling fans, lights, smoke detectors and anything attached to the walls that were electronically powered.

The affidavit says Tong disabled the devices because he believed neighbors in the apartment below were “eavesdropping on him”.

While handcuffing the defendant for the own officers safety, they discovered a fully loaded handgun underneath his shirt.

In addition to the gun, police found over 1000 rounds of ammunition, an AR-15 rifle, a canister of pepper spray, a pocket knife, and a folding spider cone knife.

Police said in the affidavit, they asked Tong if he would consider shooting anyone.

The affidavit says he would not answer officers and put his head between his knees. At this point, officers felt Tong was a danger to the public.

Tong later made statements to police that there were people at work who talk bad about him, but he would not elaborate further.

“ATF provided us with the information that he had this mental health incident that resulted in law enforcement coming in and eventually having a court order to revoke his current CCW license,” said Chief Foulke of the Middleton Police Department.

The affadavit reveals Tong was taken to a mental health facility for a 24 hour hold.

Authorities are still looking for what motivated Tong to open fire on his co-workers in Middleton on Wednesday morning.