Wisconsin man shoots television, causes 15-hour police standoff

67-year-old Steven Cowan of Vermont, Wisconsin is a law abiding citizen with a clean criminal record.  Monday night he sat down to watch "Dancing with the Stars" with his wife.  When Bristol Palin, daughter of vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, began her routine Cowan jumped up and began swearing, upset because he felt the girl had no talent.

According to his wife, Cowan went upstairs for 20 minutes and returned carrying a loaded shotgun. He blasted the television then pointed the gun at his wife and told her to go get his pistols. His daughter had recently taken away his handguns for safety reasons.
His wife left the house and called the police. A SWAT team surrounded the house and officers were able to talk Cowan out after an all-night standoff.
According to his wife, Cowan is under stress because of financial problems, suffers from bipolar disorder, and was drinking the night of the incident. She also told police that 15 years ago Cowan threatened her with a machete when he couldn't find some ammunition and he has threatened to shoot one of their cows.