Ordered to stand trial: M.L. Dale, charged in fatal shooting at Kenosha tavern in June

KENOSHA COUNTY (WITI) -- The man accused of shooting and killing a woman inside a Kenosha tavern was in court on Tuesday, July 15th. A judge has determined M.L. Dale will stand trial in the case against him.

24-year-old Dale turned himself in to police on Sunday, June 29th -- one day after the shooting.

Kenosha police say Dale, whom they described as "armed and dangerous" after the fatal shooting incident was unable to find anyone willing to assist in hiding him -- and thus, turned himself in to police.

M.L. Dale

The shooting happened inside a tavern in the 2400 block of 52nd Street -- Shenanigans Tavern and Liquor Store.

Police say a 31-year-old woman from Gurnee, Illinois was shot and killed.

Now, Dale faces six felony charges, and one misdemeanor charge.

Charges filed against Dale include:

Police were dispatched to the Shenanigans Tavern around 1:45 a.m. Saturday, June 28th.

The complaint against Dale says an officer on patrol in the area observed a dark-colored SUV slow down in front of the tavern. The officer observed two black men exit the vehicle and run towards the front of the tavern. The vehicle then sped off.

The complaint says the officer reported hearing four gunshots coming from inside the tavern. The officer notified dispatch and called for backup.

The complaint says the first officer to enter the tavern reported numerous customers running from the bar screaming.

That officer observed a woman, later identified as Terriana Cecil lying on the floor in the bar with what appeared to be a single gunshot wound to her head, according to the complaint.

Cecil was transported to the hospital -- where she was pronounced dead.

An autopsy determined Cecil's cause of death to be a gunshot wound to the head.

The complaint against Dale says police received a written statement from an individual who said on the night of the shooting, he was outside Shenanigans Tavern with his brother and other friends.

That individual told police he and his friends were approached by a group of black men who said to him: "We should knock you out about the incident that happened awhile back." The complaint says the man understood this to be referring to an incident in 2007, where a subject was shot at a bus stop.

The complaint says the man told police his brother said: "If you hit my little brother, we all gonna be out here fighting."

The complaint says the man told police the men threatened to have members of "the Firm" gang kill him.

The man eventually entered the tavern with his brother and friends -- and about 20 minutes later, he told police he saw the same group of black men who had confronted him outside, approach the rear of the tavern to block his exit.

The complaint says the man told police he then observed Dale coming towards him -- reaching to get something out of his pocket.

The complaint says the man told police it was then that he saw Dale pull a black gun from his pocket and raise it towards him. The man says he heard two clicks, like the gun jammed -- and he ran to hide behind a pool table.

The man told police he then heard the gun go off three times, according to the complaint.

The man says he ran out the back door of the tavern and fled the area.

The complaint says the brother of the man who says he was shot at told police after he heard the gun go off three times, he observed a black woman lying on the floor inside the tavern.

A friend of the victim provided a written statement to police.

She told police she was inside Shenanigans Tavern with her close friend -- Terriana Cecil when a group of men entered the tavern and the shooting started. The complaint says she told police she and others started running -- saying she thought Cecil was behind her, but when she looked back, she saw Cecil lying on the floor of the tavern.

M.L. Dale turned himself in to police at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 29th.

The complaint against Dale says on September 19th, 2013 and October 3rd, 2013 respectively, Dale was admitted a cash bond and was released on February 13th on charges of first degree recklessly endangering safety and delivery of heroin in one case, and battery by a prisoner and intimidating a witness in another case.

Dale was released on cash bond on a condition that he not commit any other crimes.

Both of these cases remain open, and are pending.

The complaint says on February 20th, Dale was admitted a cash bond on charges of obstructing and disorderly conduct as a repeater on a condition he not commit any other crimes.

This case remains open and is pending.

The complaint says Dale was convicted in 2005 on a battery by prisoner felony charge.

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