Pierre Howard accused in shooting of Milwaukee man, 5-year-old boy

MILWAUKEE - 22-year-old Pierre Howard faces multiple charges connected to the shooting of a Milwaukee man and a 5-year-old boy on Thursday, March 11. Howard faces the following criminal counts: 

• Attempted first-degree intentional homicide, use of a dangerous weapon (two counts)
• Aggravated battery, use of a dangerous weapon (two counts)
• Burglary (armed)

According to the criminal complaint, police were dispatched to a residence near 24th and Concordia on Thursday morning, March 11 -- to investigate a shooting complaint. 

When officers arrived on the scene, they spoke with a person who indicated he ended a romantic relationship with Howard about a month ago. But "since that time, the defendant had been making attempts to get back together."

On the evening of March 10 and the morning of March 11, the person told police he "continued to receive text messages from the defendant and ignored them before telling the defendant to leave him alone." When the person arrived at home, the complaint says he "observed the defendant standing in his kitchen with a black firearm." The defendant did not say how he got inside. The person told police he asked why Howard "had a gun in his house and told the defendant that there was a child inside." The complaint says he "asked the defendant to step outside so they could talk." A short time later, the complaint says Howard "returned into the residence, and said 'this is who you want to be with' as he extended his armed and fired multiple gunshots" into a bedroom where another man and a 5-year-old child were at the time. The complaint says the defendant then fled. 

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The two people inside the bedroom -- a 22-year-old Milwaukee man and a 5-year-old boy -- were taken to the hospital for treatment of gunshot wounds. The man suffered 11 gunshot wounds -- the child, three. Both were expected to survive. 

Howard made his initial appearance in Milwaukee County court on Wednesday, March 17. Cash bond was set at $200,000. Howard is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on March 29.