3 people charged in connection to Milwaukee police officer killed, another injured June 26

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A man in a feud spanning two days over cheating allegations was charged with killing Milwaukee police officer Kendall Corder and injuring officer Christopher McCray, according to charges filed July 1 by the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office.
Tremaine Jones, 22, shot at Corder and McCray 16 times while hiding behind a bush in what authorities have described as "an ambush," according to a criminal complaint. Corder died from his wounds on June 29, nearly three days after the shooting.
Jones is charged with first-degree intentional homicide, attempted first-degree intentional homicide and first-degree recklessly endangering safety in the incident. All the charges include enhancements involving the use of a dangerous weapon.
Two other people were charged in connection to the shooting: Jermela Kittler, 21, of Milwaukee, was charged with harboring and aiding a felon (Jones), and Bryshawn Tyler, 22, of Milwaukee, was charged with possession of a firearm by a felon.
Online court records show all appeared on July 1 before Milwaukee County Court Commissioner Barry Phillips for initial court appearances.
Kittler, Tyler and Jones are being held at the Milwaukee County Jail. Jones' bail is $500,000, Tyler's is $50,000, and Kittler's is $15,000.
Corder was the sixth line of duty death of a Milwaukee police officer since 2018, and the 68th in the department's 169-year history.
According to the criminal complaints:
The woman began fighting the day before the shooting because of Jones' infidelity. On June 26, the groups began fighting again, prosecutors say, joined by Tyler, who arrived with a firearm, prompting the other group of women to call Jones.
Jones arrived with his own weapon − a rifle − and fired shots in the air and towards a witnesses' apartment, according to the criminal complaint. The mother of his child − now his ex-girlfriend − was inside.
A witness told police that Jones started yelling for his ex-girlfriend and her friends to come out and fired two shots in the air. One witness believes Tyler fired in response.
A member of Jones' group saw a police car with its lights off arrive, and the group scattered.
One witness, who was recording events on his cellphone, joined those fleeing and saw Jones in the backyard of a home between the alley and Garfield Avenue. The witness said Jones told him he was going to stay there. He later saw Jones shooting at Corder and McCray and Corder falling to the ground.
Jones told the witness he thought the officers was Tyler, the other man with a gun.
"I ain't gone lie I thought it was dude," the witness said Jones told him.
In an interview, McCray told investigators he and Corder spoke with some of the women and asked them if they saw anyone armed with a weapon. They pointed the officers towards 24th Place, where they later would search the alleyway.
At the alleyway entrance, McCray said he saw a flash come from a bush and the bangs of gunshots. McCray disengaged, but saw Corder drop to the ground.
Jones shot the officers with a Palmetto State Armory PA-15 5.56 rifle, which was purchased from Prolific Arms LLC in West Allis in June.
Police later found Jones' fingerprints on that weapon. A casing analysis showed the bullets fired at Corder and McCray were consistent with the same weapon.
Police later executed a search warrant to search the apartment Jones had been shooting at earlier. They found Tyler and weapons inside.
A detective found two .40 caliber handguns, including a Glock 23 .40 caliber handgun with an extended magazine, and four .40 caliber cartridges.
Tyler denied playing a role in the shooting, telling officers he only held on to the extended magazine to make people believe he is armed, the document said.
Court records show Tyler was convicted on Oct. 30, 2019, in Milwaukee County for operating a motor vehicle without an owner's consent and of first-degree recklessly endangering safety.
He also was convicted April 27, 2022, of felony battery in Lincoln County.
As a felon, Tyler is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
After the shooting, Jones called Kittler, who had left the scene of the shooting. He bought her an Uber back to the area of the homicide. The two then went to her residence.
Soon after, police arrived. Kittler and another woman told officers she didn't know if Jones was inside. Police cleared the apartment and repeatedly called for Jones to exit the residence.
He eventually did and was then arrested.
When Jones called Kittler for the Uber, he told her he loved her and another person in the group.
"Tomorrow is not promised," Jones told Kittler.
David Clarey is a public safety reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He can be reached at [e-mail].
Chris Ramirez is a reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He can be reached at [e-mail].
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 3 people charged in connection to Milwaukee police officers shot on June 26