Gunfire in a park: 3 men now charged in connection with June shooting in Sheboygan



SHEBOYGAN -- Exactly six months after more than a dozen shots were fired at a park in Sheboygan, three men are now charged in connection with the crime -- and prosecutors say the violence was gang-related.

King Park, Sheboygan



The shooting took place around 11:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 29th -- following a concert at King Park. Police say a man in attendance yelled a gang-related insult at another man -- and that is when they both pulled out their weapons.

The accused in this case are 21-year-old John Garrison Jr. of Sheboygan, 30-year-old Ricardo Hibbler of Fond du Lac and 19-year-old Edgar Ramirez of Sheboygan.

John Garrison, Ricardo Hibbler, Edgar Ramirez



Damage from shooting incident at King Park, Sheboygan



Clayton Krebsbach and his wife were not home at the time of the gunfire. But they later noticed a hole in their siding -- and called police.

"We could have been in the bathroom or in the kitchen is where it actually would have came through," Krebsbach said.

The damage is connected to a shooting at the pavilion across the street in June. In total, police found 16 shell casings at King Park. Miraculously, none of the bullets hit anyone.

King Park, Sheboygan



John Garrison



Prosecutors say a witness told detectives he saw Garrison "in the middle of the street running and aiming carelessly while shooting" at Hibbler. Another witness reported he saw Garrison hand off the gun to Ramirez, who also "fired in Hibbler's direction." Then Hibbler, "pulled a gun from his waist and shot back." Prosecutors say the violence stemmed from a dispute between rival gangs.

Marcia Johnston was sleeping when the gunfire erupted outside her front door.

"I triple locked my doors. And I had my son get me a big can of mace or pepper spray," Johnston said.

Despite the temporary scare, Johnston said it has resulted in positive change for the community.

King Park pavilion, Sheboygan



"Now, they're trying to do more security checks on people who rent the pavilion. So it's taken something like that to clean up our neighborhood and make it safer," Johnston said.

All three men charged told detectives they were at the park on June 29th. But each denied being part of the shooting.

The suspects are due back in court in January for preliminary hearings. If any or all of the suspects in this case are convicted on the charge, they face up to 12-and-a-half years in prison and $25,000 in fines.