Boy shot in head; Kenosha teen, woman charged with attempted homicide

Two people are now charged with attempted homicide, among other crimes, after a Kenosha shooting wounded a 15-year-old boy in April.

Prosecutors say phone calls and messages linked 16-year-old Michael Brown and 18-year-old Elliana Echols to the crime.

The shooting happened near 5th Avenue and 66th Street the night of April 12. A criminal complaint states the victim told police he was in the driver's seat of a car parked outside his grandmother's home, listening to music with his cousin, when a black car pulled up alongside him.

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The complaint states the black car had both passenger's side windows rolled halfway down, and the victim saw guns through both windows before he "felt blood splatter on his face." He was unsure how many shots were fired at him, and said he did not have a gun and did not believe anyone shot back at the car, which then drove off into an alley. The cousin told police he had fallen asleep in the car and was awoken by gunshots. 

A bullet went through the right side of the victim's head just above his ear, the complaint states, and a shard was removed from his cheek. He was hospitalized with serious injuries but survived. 

Kenosha Police Department

Kenosha Police Department

A witness told police he saw a black car pull up with its lights off before hearing "about a dozen" shots. Another witness told police he saw a black car pull through an alley with a passenger's side window rolled halfway down before someone fired several shots near 5th Avenue and 66th Street. That witness then heard what "sounded like 20 or more shots" and believed at least two guns were fired.

Per the complaint, police found a single bullet casing in front of a home along 66th Street. Eleven more casings were found near the victim's car, three of which are believed to be from someone firing back at the car that pulled up.

A Snapchat account was used to connect Brown to the shooting, the complaint states. Police learned Brown's brother was locked up in the Kenosha County Jail, and the two had a phone call on April 16 – three days after the shooting. During that phone call, prosecutors say Brown told his brother "that's my work" when talking and laughing about the shooting. The complaint states the brother had previously pulled a gun on the victim, and the charges filed in that incident were "one of the reasons" the brother was in jail.

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Detectives also reviewed Brown's Facebook records, which showed a conversation with Echols hours before the shooting. Per the complaint, Echols asked brown "You want too tonight" and said "I'm on it." Less than an hour before the shooting, the records showed Echols messaged Brown "almost there." After the shooting, a review of records showed Echols messaged someone else "it's done" before exchanging messages about getting rid of her phone and a gun. Location data from Brown and Echols' phones also placed them together Brown's home before the shooting. The phones were turned off, and were not turned back on until after the shooting.

More than a month later, on May 23, police stopped a black car. Echols was driving and Brown – who had an active felony warrant out for his arrest – was inside. A gun was found underneath Brown's seat. 

Brown and Echols are each charged with:

  • Attempted first-degree intentional homicide
  • Aggravated battery
  • First-degree recklessly endangering safety
  • Endangering safety by reckless use of a firearm

Brown is also charged with possession of a firearm by a felon.

Both Brown and Echols made their initial court appearances on June 16 and had cash bond set at $500,000.