Milwaukee fatal shooting; accused says gun 'accidentally went off'
Gary Gerdman
MILWAUKEE - A 73-year-old Milwaukee man is accused in the fatal shooting of a man on the city's northwest side on Wednesday, Feb. 14. The accused is Gary Gerdman – who is charged with homicide by negligent handling of a dangerous weapon.
According to the criminal complaint, Milwaukee police were dispatched to a residence near Grantosa and Butler for a shooting complaint. When an officer arrived on the scene, he located a man who had been shot and was inside the residence. That man was taken to a hospital for treatment of his injuries. He later died.
A detective spoke to the defendant, Gerdman, who stated he lived at the location alone, but allowed a woman to stay with him. The complaint says Gerdman initially said he did not know the victim, but "knew he was a friend of (the woman)." Gerdman said he was in his bedroom when he heard yelling and fighting. The complaint says the woman came running into Gerdman's room and then two suspects barged into his room. The defendant said one had a gun, and "asked the defendant if he wanted to live or die. The defendant explained that the two suspects demanded money from him and also took a handgun that the defendant had under his mattress," the complaint says. Gerdman told police the subjects left his room -- and when he came out of the room himself, he found (the victim) shot. Gerdman said he then called 911.
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When detectives challenged Gerdman about his initial story, the defendant admitted that he "knew (the victim) was a drug dealer, and that (the victim) reached out to him about coming over to make a drug deal with some other people," the complaint says. Gerdman "admitted (the victim) was going to pay the defendant $50 to let (the victim) use the defendant's house for the deal," the complaint says.
When investigators reviewed surveillance video from Gerdman's home, they determined a gunshot was fired after the two alleged robbers left the home. When a detective asked Gerdman whether he shot (the victim), the defendant replied, "I had the gun and it accidentally went off," the complaint says. The defendant was then taken into custody.
Gerdman made his initial appearance in Milwaukee County court on Monday, Feb. 19. Cash bond was set at $10,000.