Milwaukee father accused of shooting 4-year-old daughter, himself pleads not guilty
Myles Kovac
MILWAUKEE - Myles Kovac pleaded not guilty on Monday, Nov. 4 to charges associated with a shooting that happened Oct. 20 near 61st Street and Forest Home Avenue.
Kovac is accused of shooting himself and his 4-year-old daughter. He faced charges of neglecting a child (consequence is great bodily harm), possession of a felon and resisting or obstructing an officer.
Police responded to Children's Wisconsin around 10:45 a.m. that Sunday. They learned Kovac brought the 4-year-old into the ER, where she was treated for a gunshot wound to her foot. Kovac was treated for a graze wound to his buttocks.
Myles Kovac
The criminal complaint said Kovac provided two different initial statements regarding how the gunshot wounds happened. The first was that he and the 4-year-old were in the area near 45th Street and Hampton Avenue for dinner with his sister when three black males approached, wearing all black. He said they "looked like they wanted to kill him." Kovac said he laid over his daughter, and they heard multiple shots fired. Then, he said they were in the area near 44th Street and Burleigh Street to go to his sister's house when the 4-year-old wanted to go to the park. He said as he was getting her bicycle out of the vehicle, a truck approached and a black man pulled a gun -- demanding Kovac's vehicle and everything in his pockets. Kovac said he refused -- picking up his daughter and running. He said he then heard shots and realized they'd been hit.
No evidence of a shooting was found at either scene, the complaint said. Investigators went to Kovac's home, where they found evidence of a shooting.
Kovac is due back in court on Tuesday, Nov. 5 for a bail/bond hearing.
Editor's note: The case against defendant Myles Kovac was dismissed without prejudice Monday, Nov. 8, 2021 after the prosecution's essential witness failed to appear.