Milwaukee police chase, shots fired at officers; 21-year-old charged

A Milwaukee man is charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide, among other charges, accused of shooting at officers during a pursuit.

MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee man is charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide, among other charges, accused of shooting at officers during a March 27 pursuit.

Prosecutors say Kentreal Evans, 21, admitted to shooting at the officers while fleeing in an SUV stolen near 117th and Bobolink. Prosecutors say the SUV belonged to an off-duty police officer, and his badge and service weapon were inside. Police say that's likely the gun Evans used to shoot at officers.

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Kentreal Evans

"This involves a car that belonged to an off-duty police officer when it was stolen by the defendant out of the officer's driveway, together with the officer's badge and personal weapon in the car," said Arthur Thexton, assistant district attorney.

A criminal complaint states officers spotted the stolen SUV later that day and tried to pull it over near 50th and Clark – more than six miles from where it was stolen – but the driver, later identified as Evans, took off.

Per the complaint, Evans fled officers at speeds reaching 100 mph and pointed a gun out the window toward officers. The chase slowed down on Lisbon Avenue, where Evans aimed the gun again and fired one shot at officers. The squad was not hit, and the chase continued with the stolen SUV weaving in and out of traffic, nearly striking several vehicles.

"Going through stoplights and stop signs at 100 miles an hour in rush hour on a Monday," said Thexton.

Milwaukee police officers fired upon near 75th and Congress

The SUV pulled into an alley near 75th and Congress, nearly three miles from where the chase began. There, the complaint states Evans again pointed the gun and fired one shot at officers. Officers returned fire, a total of 10 shots, and the SUV continued to flee. Those officers then broke off the chase to see if anyone in the area had been injured. Milwaukee police placed the two officers on administrative duty right after the shooting.

Other officers resumed the chase near 81st and Hampton, and it eventually ended near 34th and Capitol when the SUV hit a snowbank. Evans then got out and surrendered. The pursuit stretched more than five miles, police said.

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Police recovered two bullet casings from the scenes where Evans allegedly fired the two shots at officers. Those casings, the complaint states, were likely from the off-duty officer's gun that had been left inside the SUV.

The complaint states Evans admitted he was the driver, that he knew it was stolen, and that he fired twice at officers.

SUV crashes after police chase near 35th and Capitol

"It's very violent and a lot of exposure, meaning a lot of time that you're facing if convicted as charged," said Katharine Kucharski, court commissioner.

In all, Evans was charged with:

Attempted first-degree intentional homicide (two counts)
Fleeing/eluding an officer
Drive/operate a vehicle without the owner's consent
Discharging a firearm from a vehicle
Possession of a firearm by a felon

Evans made his initial court appearance on April 1, and his cash bond was set at $500,000.

"My first response, $500,000 cash bail, is that is incredibly high, but what's described, Mr. Evans was the epitome of dangerous to the community," said Kucharski.

Court records indicate Evans was convicted in 2018 of fleeing/eluding police and driving/operating a vehicle without the owner's consent.