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2023 MKE summer crime spree; teen charged
A Milwaukee teen is now accused of committing more than a dozen crimes in the summer of 2023 when he was 16 years old. Those crimes led to the deaths of two people, and others were wounded.
MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee teen is now accused of committing more than a dozen crimes in the summer of 2023 when he was 16 years old. Those crimes led to the deaths of two people, and others were wounded.
In court
The backstory:
Prosecutors this week charged 17-year-old Javion Rainey with a combined 14 felonies across three separate cases. He's jailed on $300,000 total bond.
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One of those cases is tied to another case in which Rainey was previously charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide. In December, the court denied a request to move Rainey's attempted homicide case to juvenile court.
Javion Rainey in court (March 5, 2025)
What's next:
Court records show Rainey is due back in court for preliminary hearings in each of the three new cases on March 13. He's scheduled to appear in that case in April.
2023 summer crime spree
June 1, 2023: Fatal crash
Dig deeper:
A white Kia was stolen in Wauwatosa around 4 a.m. that morning. Hours later, around 6 p.m., Milwaukee police were called to a crash involving the stolen Kia near 91st and Fond du Lac.
Court filings said video showed the Kia speeding before it lost control, careened through the intersection, hit the curb, slammed into a tree and skidded sideways.
Body found at Milwaukee tow lot
Witnesses said a front-seat passenger was ejected and thrown into the street, according to a criminal complaint. The passenger was seriously injured and taken to a hospital. Previously, police believed and identified the 16-year-old as the stolen car's driver. However, further investigation revealed Rainey was behind the wheel.
On June 4, a second crash victim – 17-year-old James Stokes – was found dead in the rear cargo area of the stolen Kia after it had been taken to a city tow lot. The cause of Stokes' death is believed to be Rainey's "reckless behavior" that caused the crash, per the complaint.
Teen found dead at Milwaukee tow lot, mother recounts search for him
The family of Milwaukee teen James Stokes went from making flyers for a missing person to posters for a memorial. The 17-year-old was found dead in a vehicle at the Milwaukee tow lot days after a crash.
What they're saying:
Per the complaint, the victim who was ejected later told police he estimated Rainey was driving 80 mph – but he did not remember the crash. He woke up to a woman telling him he'd been ejected from the car.
Further investigation uncovered messages between Rainey and another person in which he talked about being in a car crash. Prosecutors said it also uncovered a conversation in which someone alerted Rainey that authorities were "looking for him" on June 6.
Once in custody months later, the complaint states Rainey told police he remembered everything before the crash and nothing after it happened. He claimed the victim who was later ejected from the car was the driver.
What's he charged with?:
Homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle, reckless driving causing great bodily harm, first-degree recklessly endangering safety and driving/operating a vehicle without the owner's consent.
Criminal complaint filed against Javion Rainey
June 30, 2023: Vehicle theft
Dig deeper:
Days before prosecutors say Rainey and others were involved in a gas station shooting, a silver Nissan was stolen in Butler. Court filings said Rainey later admitted he stole the silver Nissan.
What's he charged with?:
Operating a motor vehicle without the owner's consent.
July 3, 2023: Shooting
Dig deeper:
Around 1 a.m., police were called to a gas station near 76th and Silver Spring. A 30-year-old victim suffered gunshot wounds to his neck, back and arm.
Detectives recovered eight bullet casings and noted numerous bullet strikes to the victim's vehicle. Surveillance video from the gas station showed a stolen silver Nissan pull up. Ultimately, four people identified as Rainey, Jermaine Parish, Raedonn Simmons and Gregory Thomas-Dockery – all of whom were charged in connection to the shooting – got out of the Nissan. Two fired multiple shots toward the victim, while the other two followed the shooters with guns drawn.
Surveillance of car fire after 76th and Silver Spring shooting (July 2023)
The group then ran back to the silver Nissan, which sped away from the scene, according to the complaint. The car was found a short time later near 77th and Bender – roughly a mile from the scene – "completely engulfed in flames."
What they're saying:
In addition to stealing the Nissan, prosecutors said Rainey later admitted he had a gun and was with the group during the shooting, but denied firing the weapon. He also said he got rid of the gun.
What's he charged with?:
First-degree reckless injury, possession of a firearm by an adjudicated delinquent.
Milwaukee man accused of attempted homicide in 3 separate shootings
A Milwaukee man is accused of attempted homicide for three separate shootings that happened within a month of one another.
Aug. 11, 2023: Shooting, attempted robbery
Dig deeper:
Police were called to the area of 87th and Silver Spring around 10:45 a.m. A criminal complaint states a 16-year-old boy was found on the sidewalk with several gunshot wounds and pronounced dead minutes later. The medical examiner identified him as Jajuan Taylor.
Court filings said Taylor and another person walked up to two brothers and tried to rob them. Taylor had a gun. One of the brothers "jumped on" and punched Taylor. The two fell to the ground, and the other brother shot Taylor because "he feared (Taylor) would kill him or his brother."
Rainey then fired a shot, per the complaint, and the brother who initially tussled with Taylor realized he had been shot in the leg. The brothers then went into their apartment and called 911.
Police spoke to another person who was not present during the attempted robbery. Prosecutors said that person told police that Taylor, Rainey and a third person had been doing street robberies and riding around in cars stolen from dealerships. The person said Rainey told them they planned to rob the victims for their "Anti-Social Social Club" sweater.
Milwaukee fatal shooting; attempted robbery, 1 dead, 1 hurt
A shootout during an attempted robbery ended with an armed robber being shot and killed near 87th and Silver Spring after trying to rob two people on Friday.
The investigation led police to a home near 51st and Villard, where a stolen blue Dodge Charger was found running with the driver's door open. It fit the description of a car used in at least two previous robberies. Two other stolen vehicles were recovered from the same parking lot.
What they're saying:
In an interview with police, court filings said Rainey was "emotional" about the attempted robbery because Taylor was his "best friend." He said Taylor and one of the brothers were wrestling over a fanny pack that he "believed probably had a gun in it.
Prosecutors said Rainey told police he heard two gunshots, saw Taylor fall to the ground and saw one of the brothers "shoot several times." He said he took Taylor's gun and got into a stolen blue Dodge Charger – the same vehicle found running near 51st and Villard. He admitted he had a gun but did not shoot. He also said he took Taylor's gun and sold it on Facebook two days after the attempted robbery.
What's he charged with?:
Felony murder, attempted armed robbery, first-degree reckless injury, possession of a firearm by an adjudicated delinquent.
Aug. 22, 2023: Shooting near 38th and Capitol
Dig deeper:
Police were initially called to the area of 38th and Capitol for multiple gunshots that indicated a "moving shooter." The shots were consistent with coming from a fully automatic firearm in a vehicle, per the complaint.
Officers arrived in the area to find a stolen black Kia that crashed into a bush in the front yard of a home near 39th and Roosevelt. The car was still in drive, and there were bullet holes in the driver's door, but no one was in the car.
Court filings said officers later found a victim who had been shot in the arm. He said he was driving around when three people began shooting at him. He drove off and crashed after he was shot.
Shooting near 38th and Capitol (August 2023)
At the scene, the complaint states officers found 22 spent bullet casings near 38th and Capitol. Based on preliminary results, three of those casings were fired from a gun recovered when Rainey was later arrested on Sept. 3, 2023. The victim later identified Rainey from a photo lineup as one of the people who shot at him.
What's he charged with?:
First-degree reckless injury and possession of a firearm by an adjudicated delinquent.
Sept. 3, 2023: Gun possession
Dig deeper:
Police spotted a Jeep reported stolen out of Butler and followed it to the area of 118th and Silver Spring. There, prosecutors said Rainey and the third person present during the August attempted robbery got out and went into a gas station. Officers went in and confronted the two.
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The complaint states Rainey was wearing the same red hoodie that he had on during the attempted robbery and had a loaded handgun. As an adjudicated felon, it was illegal for Rainey to have a gun. The person who was with him was also arrested.
As they exited the store, two passengers were still in the stolen Jeep. One of them jumped into the driver's seat and took off, sparking a high-speed chase that was eventually called off due to reckless speeds.
What's he charged with?:
Possession of a firearm by an adjudicated delinquent.
The Source: Information in this report is from the Milwaukee Police Department, Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office and Wisconsin Circuit Court.