MOUNT PLEASANT – A $100,000 cash bond was set Monday for Tamir L. Williams, 33, a hair salon employee accused of killing a 21-year-old customer over not paying for a haircut here Saturday afternoon.
The Racine County District Attorney’s Office charged Williams, of 1024 Main St. #311, with first-degree intentional homicide-use of a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm contrary to a harassment injunction.
According to the criminal complaint, Mount Pleasant and Racine police responded to a report of shots fired at Angel’s Beauty Salon, 2221 Durand Ave., Mount Pleasant, about 2:35 p.m. Saturday. Upon arrival, officers located Williams who followed commands to go down on his knees and put his hands behind his back. As he did so, Williams uttered “I’m the shooter. I shot him,” the complaint stated.
As Williams was detained, officers found the victim, Andre Sandoval, 21, of Racine lying on the salon’s parking lot. Sandoval was identified as the shooting victim by friends and family.
Officers saw a large amount of blood under his body and “what was likely an entry wound to the back of his head,” according to the complaint. Sandoval was pronounced dead at the scene after life-saving measures were unsuccessful.
Witnesses confirmed that Williams was an employee of Angel’s and that Sandoval had been a customer moments before the shooting, the complaint stated. When interviewed by police, Williams stated that Sandoval had refused to pay for a haircut. The two men argued and Sandoval left the salon. Williams walked out of the salon with his backpack that contained a handgun He then shot Sandoval.
“Williams did not respond when asked if he was threatened,” according to the complaint. But Williams did state that he thought police were going to shoot him as well. Williams was described in the complaint as “unemotional and showed no remorse for the shooting. He was also elusive at times.”
Officers located the backpack and the handgun in Williams’ car where he told them the items could be found.
Williams was taken into custody and held in the Racine County Jail. The criminal complaint reported that because of a court-ordered harassment injunction in Racine County, he was prohibited from possessing firearms for 12 months starting in January of this year.
Williams made an initial court appearance Monday afternoon. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 8 at the Racine County Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave., Racine.
In response to this latest gun violence incident, Racine Interfaith Coalition will hold a prayer vigil outside the salon at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
The Sandoval family has launched a Go Fund Me campaign to raise money for funeral expenses. Visit: https://gofund.me/e5845bcf