HAYWARD, Wis. – A Hmong immigrant suspected of killing six fellow deer hunters in the Wisconsin woods told investigators that he opened fire after they took a shot at him first and hurled racial slurs at him, according to court papers filed yesterday.

A judge set bail at $2.5 million for Chai Vang, 36, of St. Paul, Minn., who was jailed on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.

The shootings occurred Sunday after Mr. Vang climbed into a tree stand on private property and got into a confrontation with the landowner and members of his hunting party.

On Monday, authorities gave an account in which they made no mention of any of the victims taking the first shot. Instead, they said that after the other hunters told the trespasser to get out of the tree, Mr. Vang walked off, then wheeled and opened fire.

One of the witnesses, a hunter who was wounded in the shootings, gave a statement contradictory to Mr. Vang’s. Lauren Hesebeck said a member of the hunting party shot at Mr. Vang only after he started firing at them, according to court documents.

A representative of Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager, who is prosecuting the case, said she would not comment on the documents.

Mr. Vang, an immigrant from Laos, was arrested about four hours after the shootings as he emerged from the woods with his empty semiautomatic rifle. Five people died in the woods; a sixth died Monday in a hospital. Two others were wounded.

Mr. Vang’s account was included in court documents used to convince a judge that there was probable cause to hold him on suspicion of murder.

According to Mr. Vang’s story, he got lost while hunting on public land and ended up in the vacant tree stand – a raised platform used by hunters to see deer and shoot down at them. Mr. Vang told investigators he did not realize he was on private property.

Landowner Terry Willers approached, asking why Mr. Vang was there and pointed out he was on private property. Mr. Vang said he told Mr. Willers he had not seen any “no trespassing” signs, climbed down from the stand, and started to walk away. Authorities say Mr. Willers owns the land along with Robert Crotteau, one of the victims.

Mr. Vang said he heard Mr. Willers call on a walkie-talkie, and five or six men on all-terrain vehicles approached a few moments later. Mr. Vang said the group surrounded him, and some used racial slurs.

He said that he was told to get off the property, and as he started walking away, he turned back and saw Mr. Willers point a gun at him from about 100 feet away. He told investigators he immediately dropped to a crouch, and Mr. Willers shot at him, the bullet hitting the ground 30 to 40 feet behind Mr. Vang.

Mr. Vang said he removed the scope from his rifle and began firing, continuing to shoot as the group scattered. He said one of the victims, Joseph Crotteau, tried to run away, but Mr. Vang chased him, got within 20 feet and shot him in the back. Crotteau, 20, was killed. Mr. Willers was wounded and was listed in fair condition yesterday.

Mr. Vang said as he began to run, an ATV with two people drove past and he fired three or four times, causing both people to fall off the machine.