Teen pleads no contest to reckless homicide charge in 2022 Green Bay shooting outside west-side Walgreens
GREEN BAY – A 17-year-old Milwaukee male charged with fatally shooting a 31-year-old Green Bay man last year pleaded no contest to a charge of second-degree reckless homicide Thursday.
The man was shot multiple times in the back on Feb. 18, 2022, outside the Walgreens at 1165 W. Mason St., and was later pronounced dead at Aurora BayCare Medical Center.
According to a criminal complaint, police chased two individuals running from the scene after the shooting. They arrested Robinson, who was then 15 years old, and found a gun and bags of heroin and marijuana in his backpack, the complaint says.
In a police interview, Robinson said he was a runaway from Milwaukee and had only been in Green Bay for a few days at the time of the shooting. He told police that prior to the shooting, he had gone into the Walgreens with a friend he knew as "John," when a man confronted John about money. Robinson said John and the man argued for about 30 seconds, then Robinson and John left the store, followed by the man, the complaint says,
While walking outside the Walgreens, a van pulled up and a man with brass knuckles came out, Robinson told police. The man and John began fighting, and Robinson said he fired a gun at the man in self-defense.
Robinson initially told police he did not own the gun, but later in the interview said it was his and he had purchased the weapon about a month before the shooting, according to the complaint.
In addition to the homicide charge, Robinson was charged with one count of possession with intent to manufacture, distribute or deliver heroin as party to a crime, three counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, one count of possessing a dangerous weapon while under 18, one count of resisting or obstructing an officer, one count of carrying a concealed weapon, and one count of possessing THC.
Robinson initially faced a first-degree intentional homicide charge, as well as more first-degree recklessly endangering safety charges and a charge of possessing a firearm on the grounds of a school, before those charges were amended.
As part of a plea deal, Robinson pleaded no contest to second-degree reckless homicide, the THC possession charge, and one of the first-degree recklessly endangering safety charges, while all other charges were dismissed, according to court records.
The Milwaukee man who Robinson identified to police as "John" was previously arrested in connection with the incident and charged with possession with intent to manufacture, distribute or deliver heroin as party to a crime, but those charges were dismissed.
Robinson's sentencing hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. July 18.
Contact Kelli Arseneau at (920) 213-3721 or karseneau@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @ArseneauKelli.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Teen pleads no contest to homicide charge in 2022 Green Bay shooting
