MILWAUKEE — The uncle of a five-year-old who was shot in Milwaukee on Sunday, July 24 was charged in connection to the drive-by shooting.
John Anthony Jackson Jr., 29, was charged on Friday with first-degree reckless injury and first-degree endangering safety in connection to the incident.
Family identified the five-year-old girl as Ke'yari Redding. As of Monday, family said she is stable after suffering life-threatening injuries.
According to a criminal complaint, officers arrived at a home near 49th and Meinecke on Sunday, just one block from Milwaukee Police Department District Three, for a report of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers found Redding injured and she was transported to Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.
A Milwaukee police detective spoke to Redding's father who said he was sitting on the couch with Redding asleep next to him when he heard multiple gunshots outside. According to the complaint, as the rounds struck the home, the father realized his home was the target of the shooting. The father looked over and noticed his daughter, Redding, was shot in the chest and his sister called 911.
According to the complaint, the father looked outside and saw the defendant, Jackson, driving a vehicle past his home following the shooting. Jackson was identified as the brother of Redding's mother.
Redding's aunt, who also lives in the home, told a detective she was in bed when she heard a "barrage of gunfire." She said she rolled out of bed and onto the floor before running to check on her three children. That is when she heard Redding's father cry out, "No, not my baby." She said she saw Redding injured and called police. The complaint says she had no idea why anyone would target her home.
Several bullets struck the home, which traveled into the living room and dining room, as well as into the back of the couch where Redding was asleep.
According to video surveillance obtained by police, 12 shots can be heard in rapid succession followed by a single shot. The vehicle described earlier by Redding's father was also seen in the video.
Hours after the shooting, Jackson was found asleep in the vehicle by police and taken into custody. A loaded handgun was discovered inside the vehicle.
According to the complaint, Jackson said he has known Redding's father, who is in a relationship with his sister, since 2012. Jackson allegedly told a detective he decided to "shoot up the house" because he was "fed up" with Redding's father. He said he did not know if he struck anyone, "but targeted the house because he knew" Redding's father lived there.
After the detective informed Jackson he shot his niece and she was in critical condition and may be "permanently paralyzed," Jackson responded that his life "was over" and he would be "locked up forever," the complaint said.
Jackson had his initial appearance in court on Friday. If convicted, Jackson faces a maximum of 37.5 years in prison and a $125,000 fine.
