A man accused of fatally shooting a 17-year-old at a house party at a residence on the 3000 block of Clairmont Street Friday told police he thought the victim was reaching for a weapon.
However, witnesses told police Joshua Daniel Jr., 18, shot the as-yet-unidentified victim without provocation, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday afternoon in Racine County circuit court.
Nine teenagers were present in the room where the shooting took place, and none reported seeing the victim – identified so far publicly only by the initials DMB – with a gun, authorities said.
Daniel was arrested a short time later at an address in the 1600-block of 6th Street after he ran from police down an alley.
Police first responded to the Clairmont address Friday evening for a report of gunshots and found the victim dying.
Three women present told police they had brought Daniels to the residence, and “as soon as they walked in the door, Daniels pulled a gun and shot DMB,” the complaint reads.
As police were speaking with the women, Daniel continued to text them, authorities said. A resident at the address where Daniel was arrested told police he’d picked Daniel up. When police searched the car used to transport Daniel, they found a half-empty magazine for a .38-caliber pistol. Multiple .38-caliber casings were found at the scene of the shooting, according to police.
Daniel told police he shot DMB because he was “smiling and looking at him”, the complaint reads.
“He said he felt he had been set up by the three women and the people at the party because they were all sitting there looking at him as he came in, so he thought they were going to shoot him,” the complaint reads.
DMB “was reaching – why you think, bro?” the complaint quotes Daniel as saying.
Authorities charged Daniel with one count of first-degree intentional homicide by use of a dangerous weapon, nine counts of first -degree reckless endangerment by use of a dangerous weapon, and one count of possession of a weapon by a person under 18.
The homicide charge carries a potential sentence of life imprisonment on conviction, with a five-year modifier because of the involvement of a gun.
The reckless endangerment charges each carry a potential sentence of 12 years and six months on conviction, with the same five-year modifier, and a maximum fine of $25,000
The possession charge, a misdemeanor, carries a potential nine-month prison sentence and a maximum fine of $10,000.
Daniel remained the in Racine County Jail Monday evening on a $100,000 cash bond.
A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for May 10 at 8:30 a.m.