Sheboygan man, woman charged in fatal shooting of Michael Kirsch

SHEBOYGAN -- Two persons are charged in connection with the fatal shooting of Michael Kirsch that happened near 10th and Clara on Thursday afternoon, Feb. 6. The accused are 18-year-old Daniel Mares and 17-year-old Adyson Mihm. They face the following criminal counts:

Police say Kirsch was gunned down on the sidewalk outside a home near 10th and Clara in Sheboygan on Thursday afternoon, Feb. 6. Officials at the time indicated the crime was not random and that the suspects and Kirsch knew each other. For that reason, they believed there was no danger to the public.

According to the criminal complaints, multiple witnesses gave similar statements to police about what they saw. One indicated "she heard yelling and saw a group of kids fighting. She described seeing one girl on the ground and two other girls beating on her. She described that at one point she saw a male charge towards another guy, pull a gun and then she heard a pop, pop. She saw the victim fall to the sidewalk. She said that the shooter, one of the girls and another guy fled in a red vehicle."

Another witness indicated that after the shooting, "Mares made a comment about getting rid of evidence." The witness said "he drove directly to Mihm's residence and dropped both Mares and Mihm off at Mihm's residence."

Officers then went to the area of Mihm's residence. One officer says "two people who he recognized as Mihm and Mares were walking down the sidewalk in the area. Officers ordered both down to the ground at gunpoint." Mihm told police she was walking back from a pizza restaurant with Mares, who she said was her boyfriend. Mares indicated "he did not understand why (the officer) was there and why guns had been pointed at him."

Both Mares and Mihm were taken into custody at this point -- and taken to an interview room. The complaint says at one point, (Mares) spontaneously uttered that he was only pulling people off Adyson."

Police noted in the complaint that Mihm was wearing a drawstring-style backpack that "appeared to have heavy objects in it." When asked if there were any items of concern in the backpack, specifically weapons, "Mihm said she did not know." Police searched the backpack and "found a 9mm Smith and Wesson compact model handgun with a light and laser affixed to its rail. The backpack also contained a glass marijuana bong, a 14-ounce butane torch, a plastic pill container and a purse that held identification for Mihm."

When a detective interviewed Mares, the complaint says "Mares said that he did not know what was going on and why he was at the police department. He said there had been a fight at the bus transfer station that was broken up by police so he and his girlfriend were dropped off by her house." Mares "denied being involved in any physical altercation, saying that no one attacked him, hurt him or tried to kill him."

Later during questioning, the complaint says "Mares also said 'I don't own a gun, you guys searched me.' When told that a gun was recovered from Mihm's backpack, Mares said the man came at him with a knife and it was self-defense. Mares said he was scared and that he (expletive) up his life." The complaint says Mares "did not tell (detectives) the whole story because he did not like cops and was scared. Mares said that the gun had been in his waistband" Mares also later told police "he remembered having the gun in his left hand, thinks he fired it once and did not remember everything because he 'blacked out.'"

While charges have been filed against Mares and Mihm, online court records indicate Mares has yet to make his initial appearance in court. Mihm made her initial appearance on Tuesday, Feb. 11, cash bond was set at $7,500 and Mihm was scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Wednesday, Feb. 19.