Case dismissed against Wausau teen charged in 2022 Wisconsin Rapids shooting
WISCONSIN RAPIDS − A felony charge filed against a Wausau teen after a man was shot in the head in August 2022 was dismissed Tuesday.
Christopher J. Stevens, 18, had been charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide. On Tuesday, Wood County District Attorney Craig Lambert asked Wood County Circuit Judge Nicholas Brazeau Jr. to dismiss the charge without prejudice because of issues he was having keeping in contact with the shooting victim. When a charge is dismissed without prejudice, the District Attorney's Office can refile it in the future.
According to the criminal complaint, on Aug. 6, 2022, a caller reported a fight at the Motel 6 on Huntington Avenue in Wisconsin Rapids. An officer arrived at the motel and reported seeing a man by a vehicle and then face down on the ground. The officer saw a large amount of blood coming from the man's head.
Doctors at Marshfield Medical Center said the man had two bullet wounds to his head. The bullet appeared to have gone into the center of the back of the man's head and then up and to the left, traveling under the skin until it exited, according to the complaint.
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When officers contacted him, Stevens said the man in the parking lot of the motel pushed him in the chest and punched him, according to the complaint. Stevens said he pushed the other man away and took out his gun.
Stevens said the other man tried to tackle him and Stevens then punched the other man and the gun may have hit him, according to the complaint. Stevens said he didn't intentionally hit the man and was just trying to protect himself.
The man who was shot told police he was in his vehicle when Stevens came up to him, said he wanted money and pointed a gun at him, according to the complaint. The man said he tried to defend himself and Stevens shot him.
Contact Karen Madden at 715-345-2245 or kmadden@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @KMadden715, Instagram @kmadden715 or Facebook at www.facebook.com/karen.madden.33.
This article originally appeared on Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune: Case dismissed against Wausau teen charged in 2022 Wisconsin Rapids shooting
