Teens charged in fatal shooting
Pair were trying to rob man f lashing money, complaint says
A pair of teenagers who allegedly tried to rob a man they say was “flashing money” near his Lexus have been charged with killing the 21-year-old Milwaukee man.
Nathan Binns, 17, of Milwaukee shot and killed Montravis D. Johnson about 7 p.m. Wednesday in the 2100 block of W. Greenfield Ave., according to the criminal complaint, which also charges Dale Sonterrius Hall, 18, also of Milwaukee, as an accomplice for being with Binns the night of the shooting.
Binns faces charges of first-degree reckless homicide and attempted armed robbery, charges that carry maximum penalties of 85 years in prison. Hall could face up to 61 years behind bars on charges of felony murder and bail jumping.
Binns told police he met up at a store with Hall and a man named Keith who had called him about robbing someone for money and marijuana, according to the criminal complaint.
Hall and Johnson squared off to fight after Hall approached the victim at his car and asked him, “Why you flexing that money?” Hall later told officers he did not want to hurt Johnson, just scare him into giving up the money, the complaint says.
The altercation escalated when Binns pulled a revolver from his waistband and shot Johnson through a sweatshirt draped over his shoulder, the complaint says.
Officers heard the sound of a single loud bang and traced it to the intersection where Johnson was found lying in the street near a parked Lexus.
He was pronounced dead at the scene after unsuccessful attempts by police officers and Milwaukee firefighters to save him.
Upon arrival, the complaint says, the officers also saw two men running from the scene. A sergeant commanded both to stop and get down on the ground, but only Hall did. Court records show that at the time of the shooting, Hall was on bail on a felony charge of driving a vehicle without the owner’s consent.
Binns continued fleeing and was caught a short distance away.
Police say he dropped a revolver, which was found with five unfired cartridges remaining. He later told police he had purchased it on the street.
Police also said Binns revealed it had been three months since he had last robbed someone, but fallout from the most recent attempted robbery could put him in prison for decades.