Prosecutors: Non-fatal shooting happened as suspects tried to 'retaliate' after vehicle set on fire
Kenney Jolliff
MILWAUKEE -- A Milwaukee man and woman are facing charges in connection with a non-fatal shooting that happened near 94th and Swan Road on Friday, May 10. Prosecutors said the suspects were looking to retaliate against the man they believed set a vehicle on fire. The shooting happened when the victim exited a home and went to confront them.
Kenney Jolliff, 37, and Tamesha Sanders, 32, face the following counts:
According to a criminal complaint, on Friday, May 10, police responded to a report of a shooting near 94th and Swan Road. At the scene, they found a vehicle on fire in the driveway of a residence and another in the middle of the road near the home. The vehicle in the middle of the road was determined to have been listed to Sanders.
The complaint said five .380 casings and eight 9mm casings were found at the scene, along with a broken golf putter.
Tamesha Sanders
A blood trail led to the garage, the complaint said.
Investigators spoke with three witnesses. One said she was inside the home when she saw a vehicle crash into her stepfather's vehicle -- which was found in the driveway. She said she saw a male holding a container she believed to contain gasoline or lighter fluid -- which he placed in her stepfather's vehicle. She said there was a female in the suspect vehicle. She said her step-father went outside to confront the suspects, and she heard six to eight gunshots. She said her step-father came back inside with blood around his shoulders.
Another witness said she was looking out her bathroom window when she heard two gunshots. She said she saw the shooting victim with a black handgun, and a male and female standing near a black vehicle -- both armed.
The mother of the shooting victim's children said she went outside after someone told her someone had crashed into his vehicle. She said she saw Sanders standing in the street -- firing at the shooting victim. She said Jolliff was standing near the shooting victim's vehicle before it started on fire. She reported seeing Jolliff at a store a couple days before the shooting, and he told her not to let the shooting victim drive with their children. She said she feared Jolliff was going to shoot the man over "whatever they were beefing over," the complaint said.
Investigators spoke with Jolliff, who indicated the vehicle found in the street was his. He said before the incident on May 10, someone lit his truck on fire and he believed the shooting victim was responsible for this. He said he went to the victim's home with Sanders, and the victim "just started shooting at them." Jolliff said he returned fire, and then used lighter fluid to start the victim's vehicle on fire.
Sanders indicated there was a fight between Jolliff and the shooting victim over Jolliff's burned vehicle. She said she and Jolliff went to the victim's home to retaliate because they believed the victim was responsible for the vehicle fire. She said they planned to damage the victim's vehicle with the golf club. She admitted she brought a firearm for protection. The complaint said she indicated Jolliff hit the back of the victim's window with his fist, but that didn't work, so she broke it with the golf club. She said Jolliff had gasoline and she handed him a lighter. Soon, the victim exited the home. Sanders said she handed Jolliff a gun when the victim started shooting.
The victim said he saw Jolliff spraying lighter fluid into his vehicle and then setting it on fire. He said he approached Jolliff and saw Sanders with a gun in her hand -- which Jolliff took and began firing. The victim suffered a gunshot wound to the right forearm.
Jolliff and Sanders made their initial appearances in court on May 16. Probable cause was found for further proceedings. A bail/bond hearing was set for May 21. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for May 24. A $5,000 signature bond was set for each of the defendants.