Two teens and three men were charged by the Racine County District Attorney’s Office Thursday with felonies after a shots fired incident Saturday in the 1200 block of Terrace Avenue. Some of those bullets entered a home occupied by several people.
Tralon J. Jones, 15, of Racine, was charged as an adult with five felony counts of attempted first-degree intentional homicide and three felony counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, both with the use of a dangerous weapon.
The attempted homicide charges each carry a maximum prison term of 60 years, while the other felonies each carries a fine of $25,000 and 12 years, six months in prison. Jones is also charged with misdemeanor counts of carrying a concealed weapon and possession of a dangerous weapon by a person younger than 18. Both carry a fine of $10,000 and nine months in county jail.
A second defendant, Travis T. Williams, 17, Racine, was charged Thursday with misdemeanor counts of carrying a concealed weapon and possession of a dangerous weapon by a person younger than 18.
According to the criminal complaint:
Racine police officers responded to the 1200 block of Terrace Ave. at 5:20 p.m., where they found an abandoned silver Pontiac that had been struck multiple times by gunfire. Police observed numerous bullet holes in the body of the vehicle, the front driver’s side window, the front passenger window, and the front windshield.
Two of the vehicle’s occupants were later identified and were not injured in the shooting.
Police also found 14 9mm bullet casings in the street. Witnesses stated there were two suspects who had been in the area and fled westbound behind the Midtown Church of Christ.
During their investigation, police spoke to three residents of a home that also had been struck by bullets. The bullets traveled through the exterior walls, into the residence, through a wooden speaker box, across the room and embedded into a wall.
At the time, an adult male and two children were in the home. One of the witnesses stated at least one of the bullets traveled within feet of a two-year-old playing on the floor.
Police viewed surveillance video from the church. They were then able to identify both defendants. Williams was arrested and a search warrant was executed at his residence, where police found a 9mm handgun, ammunition and a brown pair of men’s boots similar to what they saw in the video.
Williams admitted he was present during the shooting. He said he was on the north side of the church when he observed Jones fire a gun at a passing vehicle on Terrace Avenue. Williams told police that he knew a person inside the vehicle and that he and that person had an ongoing feud for years.
Jones allegedly fired multiple rounds at the vehicle as it traveled north, Williams said. Williams then fled and Jones followed.
Both defendants were due in court Thursday for their initial appearance.
Three others charged during the shots fired investigation
A search warrant at a Washington Avenue residence during a shooting investigation led to criminal charges filed Thursday against three Racine men.
Joseph R. King, 22, and James H. Smith, 34, both face five criminal charges. Bernie Liggins, 25, faces two charges.
King and Smith face felony counts of possession with intent to deliver cocaine, possession with intent to deliver a schedule I/II narcotic, possession with intent to deliver marijuana and maintaining a drug-trafficking place, along with a misdemeanor count of obstructing an officer.
The felonies carry a maximum fine of $70,000 and 34 years, six months in prison, while the misdemeanor carries a fine of $10,000 and nine months in county jail.
Liggins is charged with a felony count of bail jumping, which carries a fine of $10,000 and six years in prison, and a misdemeanor count of obstructing, which carries a fine of $10,000 and nine months in county jail.
According to the criminal complaint:
Racine police officers executed a search warrant at 2807 Washington Ave. All three men attempted to escape into the basement and out the rear door. Police eventually took all three into custody.
During the search, police found marijuana, cocaine, sandwich baggies, digital scales, money, a 9mm handgun and ammunition. They also found a shoebox with King’s identification card and 189.3 grams of marijuana.
In the kitchen, police found 42.4 grams of marijuana, and in the dining room, they located 1.9 grams of cocaine. Additional marijuana that weighed 1.6 grams was found in an upstairs bedroom.
A handgun police determined that was used in the shooting on Terrace Avenue was found in the basement by the ceiling joists.
When Smith was transported to the Racine County Jail, officers learned that he had attempted to hide controlled substances in his body. After a search, two clear plastic baggies of what later tested positive for .4 grams of cocaine and Fentanyl were recovered.
All three defendants were due in court Thursday afternoon for their initial appearances.
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