Prosecutors say man was trying to 'scare' woman he shot in the head

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- A Milwaukee man stands accused of shooting a woman, 36, in the head during an argument at a home near 18th Street and Capitol Drive on Sunday, Oct. 20.

According to prosecutors, Charles Kendrick, 39, said he was only trying to scare the woman with what he thought was an unloaded gun, and after realizing what he had done, he planned to turn the gun on himself.

Kendrick faces two charges: First-degree reckless injury, use of a dangerous weapon, and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Police responded to the home for a shooting call and located a pistol on the floor near the entryway. A criminal complaint said Kendrick came out of a bedroom with his hands up. The victim was found laying on the bed with an apparent gunshot wound to the head. At the time of the writing of the criminal complaint, she remained hospitalized in critical condition -- on life support. A fired bullet was recovered from a bloody pillow.

Prosecutors said Kendrick made spontaneous statements at the scene, some of which were captured on body camera. He admitted to shooting the woman while trying to scare her, the complaint said. He also repeatedly asked officers to shoot him, saying he wanted to die.

A witness told investigators she, Kendrick, and the victim all went out to some clubs, and when they returned to the home, there was an argument between Kendrick and the victim. At one point, the victim was in bed with her eyes closed -- telling Kendrick to shut up. According to prosecutors, the witness said Kendrick came into the bedroom, raised his hand, and shot the victim, before turning to the witness and saying, "I didn't know!"

There were eight children in the home at the time of the shooting. A 13-year-old boy told investigators he woke up during the argument and heard the shooting. He said he heard the victim telling Kendrick to, "Put that away." Kendrick said, "I'm tired of arguing," before the shooting, the complaint said. He then ran upstairs, telling the children he was tired of arguing and he loved them.

Kendrick told investigators he had been in an argument and got his gun to "scare" the victim. He said he pointed the gun at the victim and she grabbed for it. They then struggled over the weapon, and the gun went off, according to the complaint. Kendrick said he thought the gun was unloaded.

Prosecutors noted Kendrick did not call 911 after the shooting. He posted a "farewell message" on Facebook, and then loaded the gun to shoot himself. That's when police arrived.