Inset: Corey D. Williams Jr. (Milwaukee County Jail). Background: The area in Milwaukee where Williams allegedly killed his father (Google Maps).
A young man, aged 18, from Wisconsin has been detained on suspicion of fatally shooting his 47-year-old father in the presence of their family. This incident occurred just two weeks after the father had expelled him from their home.
Corey D. Williams Jr. was apprehended recently and faces charges of second-degree reckless homicide involving a dangerous weapon, as indicated by official records. A probable cause affidavit accessed by Law&Crime states that, on July 2 around 2:40 p.m., Milwaukee Police Department officers responded to a 911 call at an apartment complex on the 1100 block of W. Atkinson Avenue concerning a shooting. The call was made by Williams’ grandmother who informed the emergency operator, “My grandson shot his daddy up there.”
Upon arriving at the scene, emergency personnel found an adult man in the apartment’s living room suffering from several gunshot injuries to his left arm, shoulder, chest, abdomen, and groin. The victim, identified as Corey Williams Sr., was declared dead at the site, and a 9 mm handgun was retrieved from the floor close to the body.
In an interview with police, Williams Jr.’s grandfather said that Williams Sr. had been caring for his children in the apartment after their mother was evicted. Earlier that day, the grandfather said he went to the store with Williams Sr. and took a nap. He was awoken by the sound of gunshots and went outside where he saw Williams Jr.’s mother and her children coming down the stairs from Williams Sr.’s apartment.
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“[Williams Jr.’s mother] was crying and said that she did not want her kid to go to jail,” the grandfather told police, per the affidavit. “He asked what happened and [Williams Jr.’s mother] said that Corey Williams Jr. shot his dad.”
When the grandfather saw Williams Jr. coming down the stairs and asked what happened, the 18-year-old allegedly said, “I shot him.”
Williams Jr. on July 3 spoke to detectives, telling them he used to live with his father in the apartment, but Williams Sr. had kicked him out about two weeks earlier. Williams Jr. then moved in with his sister.
Prior to the shooting, Williams Jr. said he went to his father’s apartment with his mother and brother to pick up the rest of their siblings, who were already at the apartment. While at the apartment, Williams Jr.’s parents began to argue, so Williams Jr. said he “butted in and told his dad to move around so that they could leave.” That is when the situation allegedly became violent.
“His dad grabbed him by the collar and began to force him around,” the affidavit states. “While this was happening his dad was holding a pistol in his hand. His dad was telling him to have respect and to shut up. His dad forced him onto a recliner chair and then towards the dining room area table. His mother and brother were trying to get his dad off of him. After his dad forced him over the table, he saw a pistol that was on the table. He said ‘and I grabbed it and I shoot him.’
Williams said he was not sure how many times he shot his father but told detectives he knew it was “more than five times.”
According to a report from Milwaukee Fox affiliate WIKI, prosecutors on Monday said it was not clear whether Williams Sr. ever had a gun.
Williams Jr. is currently being held in the Milwaukee County Jail on $10,000 cash-only bond. He is scheduled to appear in court on July 14.
