'Wanted to shoot his gun:' Man who reportedly laughed after fatal shooting pleads guilty
Vincent Richardson
MILWAUKEE -- A convicted felon accused in connection with a fatal shooting that happened on July 22 near Teutonia and Clarke pleaded guilty Thursday, Sept. 26. Prosecutors said he was apparently intoxicated when he began firing his gun for seemingly no reason.
Vincent Richardson, 48, entered the plea to a charge of first degree reckless homicide. A possession of a firearm by a felon charge was dismissed as a result of the plea deal. Sentencing was scheduled for Nov. 14.
According to a criminal complaint, police responded to the area around 12:30 a.m. on July 22 following a ShotSpotter alert that indicated seven rounds were fired. The victim, a 49-year-old woman, was found partially underneath an SUV parked in the area, with a gunshot wound to the head. Life-saving measures were unsuccessful, and the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy revealed a single gunshot caused two wounds to her head. The death was ruled a homicide. The complaint said investigators recovered seven 9mm casings, and a 9mm handgun was recovered from Richardson's apartment. The SUV was parked outside that apartment building.
The victim's 14-year-old son told investigators they'd been living with Richardson. He said he was sleeping when he heard the SUV pull up, and he poked his head out the window and saw his mother exit the SUV. Richardson exited the passenger side -- stumbling as if he was intoxicated, the victim's son said. He said Richardson pulled out a gun, pointed it into the air, and fired once. The victim's son said he then heard his mother yell at Richardson, and Richardson said, "I'm gonna keep shooting." He then heard several more shots. He said when he looked back outside, he didn't see his mother or Richardson.
Soon, he said Richardson came inside, holding the gun and laughing, according to the complaint. He asked Richardson if he had shot his mom, and Richardson laughed and said no. He then went outside and found his mom laying next to the SUV, bleeding from the head. He said Richardson then came outside, saw the victim, and began crying. Soon, police arrived.
The complaint noted Richardson made "numerous unsolicited and spontaneous statements on the scene, many of which were captured on body cameras." Officers noted he appeared intoxicated. The complaint said he admitted to shooting numerous times into the air, but offered no reason for doing so, other than he just wanted to shoot his gun. He admitted the gun was his, and that he was a felon.
According to the complaint, he was convicted of possession with intent to deliver cocaine in 2002, and therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm.