Milwaukee reckless homicide, woman sentenced for 2021 shooting
Tequila Collins
MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee woman was sentenced to 22 years in prison Wednesday, Sept. 22 for a fatal shooting near 29th and Wisconsin.
Tequila Collins, 22, pleaded guilty on Sept. 8 to first-degree reckless homicide. As part of a plea deal, one count of second-degree recklessly endangering safety was dismissed.
According to a criminal complaint, surveillance footage from inside an apartment building showed Collins and the victim were moving things on May 18, 2021. The footage showed Collins allegedly shoot at the victim from the top of a stairwell, striking him in the back at the bottom of the stairs.
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Citizens outside the building helped the victim as Collins ran from the scene, the complaint states. The victim was pronounced dead at the hospital less than an hour later. An autopsy showed he died from a single gunshot wound to the lower back.
A police report stated the incident stemmed from an argument. A 9mm shell casing was found at the scene. Collins was later identified by the apartment's manager.
When approached by police, Collins admitted to the shooting, originally saying the gun was supposed to "be safe" and "went off," the complaint read. She then went on to say she shot at him to "scare him while aiming at the glass window next to him."
Per the complaint, text messages revealed Collins was involved in another shooting near 18th and Vienna the day before – May 17, 2021.
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Police had responded to that area for a shot spotter call and found a 9mm shell casing, but were unable to find a victim. Witnesses placed Collins at the scene, though she initially denied being involved and said she just shot her gun in the air, a complaint said. The second-degree recklessly endangering safety charge was reflective of this incident.
Collins was also sentenced to 18 years of extended supervision following her prison term. She is due back in court on Oct. 12 for a restitution hearing.