Jamal Anderson, charged in fatal shooting of his 5-year-old son, held on $100K cash bond
Jamal Anderson
MILWAUKEE -- Jamal Anderson made his initial appearance in Milwaukee County court on Wednesday, Feb. 12 on charges associated with the fatal shooting of his 5-year-old son, Jamal Anderson Jr. The court set cash bond at $100,000.
The 5-year-old boy was fatally shot at the Mayfair Apartment Homes near Lovers Lane Road and Silver Spring Drive early Saturday morning, Feb. 8. Anderson, the boy's father, faces one count of neglecting a child, consequence is death, one count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, THC, 200 to 1,000 grams, and one count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, heroin, greater than 10 to 50 grams.
Jamal Anderson
Jamal Anderson, Jr.
According to the criminal complaint, police were dispatched to a shooting on Lovers Lane Road shortly after 1 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 8. They discovered a 5-year-old boy, later identified as Jamal Anderson Jr., with a "gunshot wound to the stomach." The boy was pronounced deceased on the scene.
When police first asked Anderson what happened, the complaint says he claimed that "two suspects confronted the defendant. The suspects forced the defendant into his apartment. Once in the apartment, one of the suspects pushed (the boy) to the end of the couch and fired a shot." The complaint says Anderson indicated both suspects fled the apartment.
Homicide scene near Lovers Lane Road and Silver Spring Drive, Milwaukee
A detective located a backpack outside of the apartment building partially buried in a snowbank. Inside the backpack, the complaint says police "located a .40 Glock with an extended magazine. There was a spent casing inside the chamber."
Later on Feb. 8, police conducted an in-custody interview with Anderson. The complaint says "the defendant continued to maintain his original story of being the victim of a home invasion." Anderson denied having a gun.
Lovers Lane Rd. shooting
When confronted with the evidence located in the backpack, Anderson changed his story, the complaint says. It was the first of multiple versions of "what happened" that Anderson shared with investigators. Despite investigators' plea to be truthful, the complaint indicates there were "numerous inconsistencies within the defendant's multiple statements." Eventually, the complaint says Anderson "admitted the gun was his."
On Feb. 9, a Milwaukee police detective listened to the 911 call placed by Anderson. The complaint says during the call, "the defendant reported that 'somebody just tried to rob me' and 'they pushed in my house and they shot, they shot and they shot me, they shot.' The dispatcher repeatedly asks the defendant what transpired. At 2 minutes and 34 seconds into the call, the defendant discloses for the first time, 'my son, they shot my son.'"
Anderson is scheduled to be back in court for a preliminary hearing on Feb. 21.
CLICK HERE to access the GoFundMe.com account set up in Anderson Jr.'s honor.