MILWAUKEE — A Milwaukee man was recently charged in connection to a homicide that happened on Christmas Eve.
According to the Milwaukee Police Department, 18-year-old Omarion D. Danielson was charged with first-degree reckless homicide and two counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety.
Police say the homicide happened on Saturday, Dec. 24 near 29th and Greenfield around 6:51 p.m. A 27-year-old woman was driving in her car when she was struck by gunfire. She later died from her injuries at the scene.
RELATED: 27-year-old woman killed near 29th and Greenfield
According to a criminal complaint, police responded to the scene for a crash that happened after the shooting. Police found the woman unconscious in the vehicle after being shot. A gun was found on the passenger's side floorboard. A man at the scene said he was the passenger and the gun belonged to him.
The man was interviewed by detectives and said they were driving with their son when he heard "rapid gunfire." After the woman was shot, she began spitting up blood, so the man tried putting the car into park, but ended up sliding into another car, the complaint says. When he couldn't get the car doors to open, he used his gun to shoot out the window. He got their son out of the car and went to the woman and learned she was shot.
Prior to the homicide, detectives were assigned to investigate shots fired at Scott Beer and Food, 1201 S. 33rd St. They recovered five-9mm cartridge casings on the sidewalk outside of the store. Eleven other cartridges were found near the homicide scene. It was revealed all were fired from the same gun. Surveillance footage shows Danielson was at the store, according to the complaint.
During an interview with Danielson, he said he entered the store with his gun in his hand. When someone said something to him, he walked up to the person and the person put his hands up. Three people then put their items down and left the store. The complaint says Danielson alleges the three people got into a car and started to drive away. Danielson said he fired two shots at the vehicle. The driver of the struck vehicle then fired back at him, and Danielson fired two more shots back at the vehicle.
After being shown pictures of the victim and being informed that the victim was on her way to celebrate Christmas with her family and that her 7-year-old son was in the back seat of the car, the complaint says Danielson changed his story.
Danielson then said he "knew they had a gun, and he wasn't going to let them soon him." He allegedly said he shot ten times from the vehicle he was in, and said he "wasn't really aiming, it was dark and he couldn't see anything."
The complaint says Danielson learned about the homicide on the news and that he "didn't mean to kill the lady."
If convicted, Danielson faces up to 85 years in prison and a $50,000 fine. He will be in court on Friday for an initial appearance.
