Homicide charges filed in shooting death of Officer Kendall Corder; 19-year-old charged with harboring suspect
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A Milwaukee man has been charged with homicide and attempted homicide in the fatal shooting of MPD Officer Kendall Corder and the wounding of MPD Officer Christopher McCray, while a woman has been charged with helping to conceal the man from officials.
According to a criminal complaint, 22-year-old Tremaine Jones faces counts of first-degree intentional homicide, attempted first-degree intentional homicide and first-degree recklessly endangering safety, each involving the use of a dangerous weapon. The shootings took place Thursday, June 26.
Jermela Kittler
Police reportedly initially responded to multiple 911 calls around 9:10 p.m., reporting a man firing a weapon described as a "machine gun" into an apartment building near 24th and Garfield.
Both officers who were shot arrived on scene in full uniform and approached an alley near the building while searching for the suspect. According to the complaint, they were ambushed with gunfire coming from nearby bushes. Officer Corder was struck three times and died from his injuries in the hospital days later. The other officer, identified in the complaint as Christopher McCray, was wounded in his foot, thigh and back and was released from the hospital after treatment.
Investigators recovered 16 spent rifle casings from the shooting scene, along with a Palmetto State Armory PA-15 gun, which is an AR-15 style rifle, traced back to Jones. He was arrested later that night on N. 37th.
The home in which he was found was reportedly that of 19-year-old Jermela Kittler of Milwaukee, who has been charged with harboring or aiding a felon in connection with Jones’ arrest, according to the criminal complaint. Police allege Kittler intentionally helped Jones avoid apprehension following the shootings.
Kittler reportedly admitted to investigators that after the shootings occurred, Jones asked her and another woman to retrieve a backpack he had left behind, believing it contained the firearm involved in the incident.
Although unable to recover the bag due to a police presence, Kittler and Jones later took an Uber back to her home where she hid Jones from officers actively searching for him, according to the complaint.
In court Monday morning, Jones' bond was set at $500,000. Kittler's bond was set at $15,000.
Preliminary hearings for both Jones and Kittler are scheduled for July 9.
If convicted, police say Jones could face life in prison plus 77 years.