Bail for 17-year-old from Milwaukee, accused in four-day crime spree, increased from $10K to $100K
MILWAUKEE COUNTY -- It will now cost a 17-year-old boy from Milwaukee a lot more than $10,000 to get himself out from behind bars.
Avan Kittler appeared in court in Milwaukee County on Wednesday, June 22nd, where his cash bail was amended to $100,000. This, after public outcry when Kittler posted $10,000 cash bail and was released from custody.
Police arrested 22-year-old Matthew Long and 17-year-old Kittler in connection with the so-called "bump-and-run" carjacking that happened on May 23rd -- and police say both were involved in a four-day long crime spree that also included a triple shooting.
Avan Kittler
Kittler faces seven felony charges in the case:
Elizabeth Gehrke says her one-month-old was in the back seat of her car when two men allegedly performed a "bump-and-run carjacking" on May 23rd. They hit the back of Gehrke's car and then stole it, later leaving the baby on the curb.
Suspects dump baby from vehicle after "bump and run" carjacking near 66th and Montana
Long's bail was set at $200,000 cash. He also faces seven felony charges. Kittler's bail was initially set at $10,000 cash.
Kittler was able to post that $10,000 cash bail on June 14th, and he was released -- something that didn't sit well with Gehrke.
Elizabeth Gehrke
"We need the people who are getting accused and actually caught to be held accountable," said Gehrke.
FOX6 News spotted multiple pictures posted on a social media page allegedly belonging to Kittler, showing the 17-year-old with huge wads of $100 bills.
This, after Kittler was deemed "indigent" or poor by the court, and provided a public defender.
FOX6 News has learned Kittler was re-arrested on Friday, June 17th for possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, felony bail jumping and possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18 years of age. These pending charges relate to Kittler's alleged activity on social media.
Court documents filed on Monday, June 20th show that Milwaukee police were reviewing Kittler's Facebook page last Thursday, June 16th and saw a photo of Kittler with a gun -- posted on April 30th.
Detectives were then able to obtain a search warrant -- to search Kittler's home for evidence of this weapon.
"In the past, we have found that (Facebook) -- that kind of investigative tool, can be used to find evidence of offenders in the community," Kent Lovern with the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office said.
Court documents show that officials found marijuana in Kittler's home -- and Kittler admitted to having the gun on April 30th.
On Tuesday night, dozens of community members met on Milwaukee's south side to discuss this case and other recent crimes.
"I think a lot of people are just tired of what's going on and they want answers, pretty much. They want to know what the community leaders are doing and how they can help and how everyone can step up and come together," Mark Briones, president of the Fairview Neighborhood Association said.
Milwaukee Alderman Mark Borkowski and Milwaukee police liaisons were on hand to answer questions and offer advice.
Below are more details as to the crimes Long and Kittler are accused of committing over a four-day period, including that "bump-and-run" carjacking with an infant in the car:
May 21, 2016
According to the criminal complaint, the crime spree began very early on Saturday, May 21st. That's when Long and Kittler are alleged to have stolen a pizza delivery driver's vehicle as he was making a delivery near 16th and Marshall. The delivery driver in this case ran "toward his car yelling, 'What you doing?'" The delivery driver noticed someone exit the vehicle and began running away. The deliver driver began chasing him -- and was nearly run over by a vehicle coming in the other direction. A person jumped out of that oncoming vehicle -- and "put his hands up in a fighting stance and (the delivery driver) stated he squared up and prepared to defend himself." The delivery driver then "believed two suspects were going to attack him so he turned and ran away." He "felt a blow to the back of his head, causing him to fall to the ground." The driver told police the suspects "punched and kicked him in the head, his back and on his body." The suspects also went through the driver's pockets and grabbed money. The delivery driver "stayed balled up in the fetal position until he heard the cars driving away."
The second incident in this crime spree happened late on May 21st. A man was driving near 30th and Oklahoma just before midnight when he "was rear-ended from vehicle directly behind him." When the man got out of the car to assess the damage, the passenger in the other vehicle "had a gun in his hand and demanded his keys to his vehicle." The suspects got away with the victim's vehicle as well as possessions inside.
May 22, 2016
A couple of hours later, on May 22nd, a Shotspotter detection directed police to the neighborhood near 18th and North. A man told police "his vehicle was shot at numerous times after an incident involving a gray minivan and another vehicle.
The victim indicated "the gray minivan swerved around him on his passenger side and struck the front passenger side of his vehicle." A second car "then swerved around him on the driver's side, passing him in the oncoming traffic lane." Both vehicles apparently came to a stop once they were ahead of the victim. The man told police he drove around both vehicles and parked to get out and assess the damage. A woman and three children were inside the minivan. They ignored the man's questions about whether they were okay. The woman in the minivan then got into the third car -- and "some unknown person then drove the gray minivan away."
When the victim approached the third vehicle, he noticed the driver "reached down by the middle console in his vehicle and armed himself with a handgun." The victim told the driver, "No, this isn't worth it, forget about the accident, I'll leave." As the victim started walking back to his vehicle, a passenger in the car got out armed with a handgun and threatened the man. The complaint says "as he was running away, he heard numerous shots being fired." The victim managed to get someone to stop and help him -- but not before his car was riddled with bullet holes, inside and out.
May 23, 2016
On the morning of May 23rd, a woman was dropping her child off at Fairfield Elementary School. Her infant son was in the rear seat of the vehicle. The complaint indicates a vehicle struck the woman's car from behind. When the woman got out of her vehicle, two men exited the car and "pushed her forcefully out of the way and entered the driver's side of her vehicle." She pleaded not to take her car because her child was inside. But a suspect drove the vehicle away -- and a short time later, "removed the infant from the back seat, and place the car seat on the grass." At that point, the driver drove off.
Suspects dump baby from vehicle after "bump and run" carjacking near 66th and Montana
The mother in this case spoke anonymously with FOX6 News.
"I actually grabbed onto the bar, the door handle, so I have a little bit of road rash," said the mother.
Later on May 23rd, a man told police he was standing out in front of his home near 26th and Medford with three friends. They saw a person come out of the gangway screaming, "You know what time it is!" At that point, the man indicated he "heard gunshots being fired, and felt himself get hit by one of the shots." The suspects fled the area. In all, three of the people in front of the home were wounded by the gunfire.
26th and Medford
May 24, 2016
A man was walking in the alleyway near 27th and Lloyd. The complaint indicates he was approached by two people who exited a car. "Both actors pointed handguns at (the victim) and stated, 'Give me your stuff! Don't make me kill you! You think I playin'!'" The victim resisted verbally "and the second actor discharged a round from the gun into the ground." The first person struck the victim in the face. At that point, the victim laid down on the pavement -- and the suspects removed his jeans, Nike Air Jordan shoes and an MCM belt. The suspects then fled the scene.
Investigators caught up to Long and Kittler later on May 24th -- and when executed a warrant at a home near 39th and Wright. The criminal complaint indicates Kittler spoke to investigators about each of the above incidents.
Matthew Long, Avan Kittler
All together, the charges add up to a maximum sentence of 220 years in prison. Long could face another 42 years on top of that for being a repeat offender.