SENTENCED: 19-year-old man charged in fatal shooting that followed armed robbery headed to prison

MILWAUKEE COUNTY (WITI) -- A 19-year-old Milwaukee man, charged in connection with a fatal shooting that followed an armed robbery has reached a plea deal in the case against him.

Dion Neal has pleaded guilty to a felony armed robbery as party to a crime charge. A first degree recklessly endangering safety (use of a dangerous weapon) charge was dismissed.

Neal has been sentenced to five years in prison, and seven years of extended supervision, with credit for 447 days served. He has been ordered to have no contact with the victim or the victim's residence, and he has been ordered to pay restitution in this case.

The armed robbery occurred on November 23rd, 2014 in the 5100 block of N. Sherman Boulevard.

A criminal complaint in the case says officers were dispatched to a home in the area -- where Demetrius Johnson told officials three men came into his home -- including Neal. Johnson told officials Neal pointed a 9mm chrome barreled gun at Johnson -- and said "we ain't playing." Neal then ordered Johnson to kneel down on a chair in the corner of the bedroom and face the wall.

Johnson told officials Neal stayed by the bedroom door with his gun drawn and another man stood over the bed where Johnson's girlfriend was laying. The complaint says that man had a revolver.

Johnson told officials the third man ran around the bedroom, putting items belonging to Johnson in a black duffle bag -- including a computer and jewelry, according to the complaint.

Neal told Johnson he should not go to the police, and that if he did, Neal would kill Johnson and Johnson's son -- police say.

The armed robbery was reported to police on November 23rd.

On November 29th, police responded to a shots fired call at Johnson's home. Upon their arrival, police spoke with Johnson's roommate, Jerrad Harris, who reported hearing approximately 10 gunshots coming from the back of the home on the night of November 29th.

The complaint says Harris heard glass break in the back bedroom and when he got up to see what was going on, he saw there were bullet holes in the back bedroom window.

Later that night, at St. Joseph's Hospital, an officer observed a white Ford Taurus with blood on the back seat on the driver's side. The officer also observed a bloody handkerchief on the driver's seat, tucked at the middle of the seat -- and a gray ski mask, according to the complaint.

Police spoke with a security guard who said he observed the vehicle stop in front of the emergency room and three men exited the vehicle with a man who was shot, by the name of Lorenzo Whitaker.

Whitaker was placed into a wheelchair and appeared to be unresponsive. The security guard was given a phone number for one of the men, and when he called it, Neal answered and said Whitaker was his brother, according to the complaint.

Whitaker was pronounced dead at the hospital.

An autopsy indicated Whitaker died as a result of two gunshot wounds.

When officials spoke with Neal, he told them on November 27th, he left to go to the area of 51st and Sherman with two others -- looking to speak with a previous neighbor, Johnson. Neal told officials he and Johnson were in a disagreement.

Neal told police he, Whitaker and one other man headed toward Johnson's home, and two of the men (including Neal) were armed.

The complaint says Neal told officials Whitaker began shooting into the back of Johnson's home -- and Neal began shooting into the residence from the side of the garage.

The third man was behind Neal and Whitaker, and somehow, Whitaker was shot.

Neal told officials he helped Whitaker into the vehicle and drove him to the hospital.

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