47th and Burleigh homicide: Milwaukee man charged, on the run

A 23-year-old Milwaukee man is on the run – and charged in connection with a fatal shooting near 47th and Burleigh in June 2021. The accused is Christopher Woodley – and he faces the following criminal counts:

  • First-degree reckless homicide
  • Possession of a firearm by adjudicated delinquent

According to the criminal complaint, Milwaukee police officers responded to a ShotSpotter complaint near 47th and Burleigh on the afternoon of June 16, 2021. They found the victim - a man who suffered fatal gunshot wounds.

The complaint notes the ShotSpotter recording "captured the audio of 15 rounds being fired" in that neighborhood. Investigators later "recovered 12 .223 Remington cartridge casings from the ground."

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Detectives spoke with a witness who stated they "observed the shooting, seeing two assailants, one armed with a large rifle, the other with a pistol with an extended magazine, and that the one with the rifle was just 'dumping rounds.' The witness stated that the suspect advanced with the rifle and just kept firing, like he wasn't scared at all."

Police at scene of homicide near 47th and Burleigh

The complaint mentions another witness who indicated Woodley was at a corner store near 44th and Burleigh with a second person "when Woodley received a phone call." Moments later, Woodley and the second person ran through yards -- and the witness stated "he heard numerous shots that he believed to be from those weapons" carried by Woodley and the second person. Police used surveillance video to confirm this witness' statement.

While Woodley has been charged in this crime, online court records show he is not in police custody -- a warrant was issued for his arrest on Tuesday, June 28.