1st Milwaukee homicide of 2025; teen accused of killing friend

MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee teen is accused of killing his friend on Jan. 9 – the city's first homicide of 2025.

Prosecutors charged 17-year-old Jaden Jenkins-Delane with one count of homicide by negligent handling of a dangerous weapon and one misdemeanor count of possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18.

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Shooting investigation

The backstory:

Police said the 18-year-old victim was shot near 60th and Sheridan. The victim, later identified as Christopher Carter, died at a hospital a few hours later.

Scene near 60th and Sheridan

According to a criminal complaint, Jenkins-Delane's mother called police. She said her son was friends with Carter – who is from Texas and had been staying with them. She said she heard a "pop" and heard Carter say he'd been shot. She then drove Carter to the hospital with her son.

The mother further told police that, as they were driving to the hospital, Carter said Jenkins-Delane "shot him by mistake" and Jenkins-Delane said it was an accident and "something was janky with the gun." 

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Court filings said police reviewed surveillance that captured the sound of a single gunshot inside a home, and a male voice can be heard saying "he shot me bro." Jenkins-Delane was seen running downstairs with two handguns before running out of view of the camera. He then ran back into view without the two handguns. 

Jenkins-Delane spoke to detectives, per the complaint, and gave "numerous versions of events about what happened" – including, at one point, that Carter shot himself. He was arrested for providing false information to police.

Once in custody, prosecutors said Jenkins-Delane admitted he accidentally shot Carter. He said he was clearing a round from the chamber when the gun went off. He said Carter threw the gun out of the car window on the way to the hospital, and he denied the weapon was his.

In court

What's next:

Court records show Jenkins-Delane is jailed on $7,000 bond. He is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on Jan. Wednesday, 22.