OSHKOSH — A mother and son are facing charges in connection with a Nov. 29 shooting at a Neenah apartment.
Elizabeth Johnson, 39, and Anthony Hendricks, 17, both of Neenah, are each charged with multiple felonies after police say Hendricks shot and wounded two people: a man he had a disagreement with and his 11-year-old brother.
In Wisconsin, 17-year-olds charged with crimes are tried as adults.
According to criminal complaints, numerous other guests were present in the apartment before and at the time of the shooting. Among them were a 9-year-old and an 11-year-old.
What are the charges?
-
Hendricks is charged in Winnebago County Circuit Court with five felonies: first-degree reckless injury, second-degree reckless injury, possession with intent to manufacture, distribute or deliver between 2,500 and 10,000 grams of THC, aggravated battery and maintaining a drug trafficking place. He also faces one misdemeanor charge of resisting or obstructing an officer.
-
Johnson is charged with three felonies: neglecting a child and causing great bodily harm; possession with intent to manufacture, distribute or deliver between 2,500 and 10,000 grams of THC; and maintaining a drug trafficking place. She is also charged with a misdemeanor of resisting or obstructing an officer.
-
Another 17-year-old, Lamell Matthews of Neenah is charged with harboring or aiding a felon.
What do the criminal complaints say?
The following information is from criminal complaints for both Hendricks and Johnson:
-
Around 7:15 p.m. Nov. 29, police were dispatched to an apartment at 130 W. Bell St. for multiple reports of gunshots and a gunshot victim.
-
When officers arrived, they found a man at the apartment’s north-side main entrance with four gunshot wounds, three to his thigh and one above his groin. The man said he was shot by Hendricks.
-
Officers then learned there was a second gunshot victim, an 11-year-old boy, who was wounded in his lower back. Both victims were transported to ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah.
-
At the scene, Matthews told officers he was sitting in the living room of the apartment when the man who was later shot, identified only as V1 in the complaint, entered the apartment unannounced.
-
Matthews said the man “was trying to fight everyone and steal things.” About 15 to 20 minutes after V1’s arrival, three other men — one of whom was V1’s older brother — entered the apartment.
-
Matthews told officers Hendricks retrieved a handgun from his mother’s room, but “there was a struggle for control” and the three men ended up in possession of the gun and left the apartment. Hendricks then went back to Johnson’s room and retrieved a second handgun, which he then used to shoot “three or four times at V1,” Matthews said. He said Hendricks’ younger brother was shot by accident.
-
At the hospital, officers spoke with Johnson. She said V1 had previously lived with her family. Johnson said V1 showed up that day angry, and he and the three men with him pointed guns at her.
-
Hendricks was also at the hospital with his mother. He told police he was in his bedroom at the apartment when he heard yelling and “saw a group of people pointing guns at his family from the entry way of the apartment.” Hendricks said he grabbed his mother’s gun in the living room, but it was taken from him. Hendricks said he then retrieved a different gun and “fired what he remembered was two shots.”
-
In an interview from the hospital the day after the shooting, V1 told an investigator he walked into the apartment, and Hendricks “acted surprised to see him.” V1 said a 15-year-old who was in the apartment pulled out a rifle and threatened to shoot V1. V1 said his brother, who had dropped him off, then came into the apartment and tried to get V1 to leave, then exited. After his brother left, V1 said, Hendricks shot him.
-
V1 denied bringing any firearms into the apartment, and said his brother did not have a gun either.
-
V1’s older brother’s version of events changed throughout multiple police interviews, but he “ultimately reported” that he dropped V1 off at the apartment and waited outside with the two other men, but then the three men went into the apartment after receiving a call from V1. The brother said when he walked in, he saw Hendricks pointing a gun at V1. He said he separated the two and told V1 to leave, but left without his younger brother after Johnson threatened to call the police.
-
During a search of the apartment, officers found nearly 130 grams of suspected marijuana and nearly 920 grams of THC oil in vape cartridges, as well as more than 3,200 grams of THC edibles in sealed packages.
-
Around 2:30 p.m. Dec. 4, Hendricks and the 15-year-old who was at the apartment the day of the shooting were arrested.
-
On Dec. 5, Matthews went to the Neenah Police Department to share more information. He said when V1 entered the apartment, he tried to fight the 15-year-old, who ran out of the apartment. After that, V1 and Hendricks got into a fight. Matthews said he believed the Hendricks’ 11-year-old brother was sitting on the couch when a bullet struck him.
-
Officers showed Matthews an image of him leaving the apartment with a red blanket. Matthews confirmed he concealed items in the blanket and hid it, but claimed he was getting rid of THC products, not guns.
-
The 11-year-old victim was in critical condition at the hospital for several days before his condition stabilized.
What are the next court appearances?
-
Hendricks has a preliminary hearing set for 10:15 a.m. Jan. 9 in Winnebago County Circuit Court. His bail was lowered Thursday from $50,000 to $20,000, according to court records.
-
Johnson has further proceedings scheduled for 9:45 a.m. Dec. 23 and a preliminary hearing 10 a.m. Dec. 26. She is held in Winnebago County Jail on $40,000 bail, according to court records.
-
Matthews has further proceedings scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Dec. 26. Court records say he was released on signature bond.
Contact Kelli Arseneau at 920-213-3721 or karseneau@gannett.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, at @ArseneauKelli.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Mother and son face charges for Nov. 29 shooting at Neenah apartment