First witnesses called in trial of man accused of fatally shooting Milwaukee police officer
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The trial for the man accused of shooting and killing Milwaukee Police Department Officer Kendall Corder, and injuring his partner, continued Tuesday, March 31.
Tremaine Jones, 23, faces four felony charges, which means he faces life in prison.
Tuesday morning, the 14-person jury was set; nine men and five women.
The first witness the state called was a ShotSpotter expert who discussed what was said to be the gunshots that killed Officer Corder.
One of Corder's family members sitting in the courtroom left as soon as she heard the sound of gunshots. She was seen grabbing a Milwaukee police officer on her way out, hugging her as she started crying
Those gunshots were reportedly logged by ShotSpotter in the area of 25th and Garfield in Milwaukee -- the location that Corder and his partner, Christopher McCray, responded to on June 26, 2025, for reports of a man firing a machine gun.
Milwaukee Police Department Officer Kendal Corder
In opening statements, we heard the state say there were 16 shots fired that night; three of them hit Corder, killing him. Another three hit McCray, who survived.
"The defendant fired his shots outside an apartment because he wanted to fight a guy who happened to be there for a girl fight. And he brings a rifle to where he’s sitting there in the bushes and shooting two officers," said Grant Huebner, prosecutor.
"We’re not going to be fighting about -- well, a bullet is what killed him. It’s clear that’s what took his life. We’re not here to throw things at a wall and make you believe things that aren’t there. But we are asking you to look and see what is missing," said Abigail Ruckdashel, defense attorney.
The state's witnesses have included Milwaukee police officers and detectives, and we've heard 911 calls describing the shooter as a Black male with a long gun. The state has a list of over 170 witnesses they could call on.
More than 100 pieces of evidence have been shown to the jury so far. The most impactful, based on the reaction from the court, was the body camera footage from a tactical officer providing aid to Officer Corder. His sister had to step out of the courtroom when it started playing.
Later, the state showed us the AR-style rifle found in the grass with two magazines taped together, the 16 shell casings found at the scene, the officers' shirts with holes in them, a black ski mask, and a backpack at the scene with Jones' personal belongings -- one similar to one seen on a Ring camera moments before the shooting.
"Was there anything you found of note in the personal hygiene kit?" MPD Detective Martin Saavedra was asked.
"Yes, this photograph depicted on the screen is the defendant's Social Security card," the detective said.
Jones' birth certificate, work card, and debit card were also inside the backpack.
The defense made sure to state that there were 15-20 minutes between the Ring video being shown and Officer Corder and McCray being shot, and no officer has stated that they saw the suspect at the scene yet.
The case is expected to go through this week, and potentially into the next.
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Stick with CBS 58 on-air and online as we continue to follow Jones' trial.