September 6, 2017 at 3:47 p.m.
Details of Eagle River shooting emerge
Signature bond set
Details of Eagle River shooting emerge
Jeremiah Fox Solis appeared before judge Neil A. Nielsen via video from the Vilas County Jail. He was booked early Monday morning on a preliminary charge of homicide by negligent handling of a dangerous weapon.
Vilas County district attorney Martha Milanowski told Nielsen that a final charging decision has not been made in the case and won't be made until all police reports and eyewitness statements have been forwarded to her office.
She did, however, share some details surrounding the death of Connor L. Stephens, 20, of Conover.
"Law enforcement was dispatched to a disturbance at 421 E. Wall Street here in Eagle River," she said. "There was an open 9-1-1 call and people were arguing," Milanowski told the judge. "Once on the scene, they were advised that a male subject had been shot."
When the first officers arrived on scene, just after 11:42 p.m., they were waived to the upstairs apartment by two male individuals who were waiting outside. Once in the apartment, an officer reported seeing an adult female and a person later identified as Solis.
"He was leaning over a fourth male and holding a towel and applying pressure to an apparent gun wound. The victim was semi-conscious at that time and was later identified as Connor Liam Stephens," Milanowski said. "(The female) showed the officer the weapon that was apparently used that was identified as a semi-automatic handgun."
Milanowski said Solis continued to apply direct pressure to Stephens' wound until EMS arrived. Stephens was transported to Eagle River Memorial Hospital where he died around midnight.
"He (Solis) told law enforcement that he had, in fact, purchased a semi-automatic handgun, a Smith and Wesson Sig model .40 caliber at the gun show this past weekend in Eagle River on Friday, Sept. 1. He received no receipt, there was no background check. I will note that he is 19 years old," Milanowski said.
The prosecutor went on to explain that Solis told officers that he went to the apartment, where it is believed his brother is a tenant, at around 9 p.m. Sunday.
"He indicated that he brought the gun that he recently purchased to basically show it off," she said. "Mr. Solis indicated he played some video games, had a couple drinks and he also smoked some marijuana that evening. He smoked some around sunset. Everyone looked at the gun and he indicated that he put the clip in the gun, cocked it, then cleared it and a bullet flew out. He said the slide was forward and he put it down on the coffee table for about an hour and thereafter picked it up again and he began playing with it, those were his words. He pulled the slide back, he didn't see a bullet fly out, so he thought the gun was empty. While he was continuing to hold it, he pulled the trigger, it went off and a bullet hit Stephens in the shoulder."
Milanowski told Nielsen the initial police reports indicate a homicide took place and, from the interviews, Solis would be the responsible party. She said the shooting remains under investigation, and the "nature of criminal responsibility has yet to be determined."
"The state needs further reports, including witness statements and review of all the evidence recovered, and that would include more than one gun at the residence, along with some marijuana and some paraphernalia," she said.
She indicated the minimum charge Solis would face is homicide by negligent handling of a weapon, a class G felony.
Milanowski said Solis has no criminal record, his family lives in the area and initial indications are the shooting was not intentional.
"So, at this stage, the state does not oppose a high signature bond in this matter, but with several conditions," she said. "Those include no consumption of alcohol, no contact with any of the witnesses or the victim's family... also I would ask for the condition of no possession of guns. He indicated in interviews that he owns, I believe, three. How many he may own, all of them need to be turned over to law enforcement."
She also requested a curfew and that Solis be ordered to reside with his mother during the pendency of the case.
Attorney Al Moustakis, the former Vilas County district attorney, was in the courtroom and indicated he would likely be representing Solis. He said he met with Solis at the jail and explained the requested conditions.
"I think that the request for a signature bond with those conditions is appropriate," he said. "I think it is fair that the state is taking the time to make sure the investigation is complete before they make any charging decision."
Nielsen set a $20,000 signature bond with the conditions stipulated by both sides, setting his curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. He also scheduled an initial appearance for the morning of Sept. 25, at which time Solis is expected to be formally charged.
The signature bond drew audible displeasure from Stephens' family and friends seated in the courtroom.
"You are going to have a lot of people who are watching your conduct here, so make sure you strictly follow the conditions of your bond, because the violation of a bond condition would subject you to felony bail jumping charges," Nielsen said. "And the degree of the seriousness of these charges has not yet been determined. So it is important that you follow the bond conditions absolutely."
Jamie Taylor may be reached via email at jamie@rivernews online.com.
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