Police in Milwaukee are searching for a 41-year-old man accused of shooting two people at a wedding reception after an argument about eating meatballs with his hands. According to prosecutors, the suspect, Thomas Redrick Williams, was a groomsman at the wedding held on June 20 at the Aria Business Center.
Meatball argument turns violent
The confrontation began in the kitchen when the bride's cousin allegedly saw Williams eating meatballs with his hands and told him to use a plate and cutlery instead. The situation escalated when Williams allegedly punched the woman after she challenged him. Her brother-in-law then intervened as the argument became physical.
Prosecutors say Williams then pulled out a gun and opened fire. The woman was shot in the arm and leg, while the man was hit in the back of the neck. Both survived and were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Police arrived at the scene to find a man and a woman with gunshot wounds.
Bride confronts suspect
The bride reportedly witnessed the shooting and followed Williams outside as he tried to leave. She confronted him beside his car and grabbed his key fob in an attempt to stop him from driving away. Williams allegedly abandoned the car and fled on foot. Police searched the vehicle, which was registered to Williams' wife, and found a Taurus 9mm handgun.
Williams' wife later told officers that the pair had attended the wedding together and that Williams dropped her at home before returning with her car. Authorities say Williams was already out on bond in a separate case when the shooting occurred. A warrant has been issued for his arrest, but as of Monday, he had not been taken into custody.
Community reaction
Footage broadcast by local station 12 News showed the visibly distressed bride outside the venue after the shooting. Neighbors expressed shock that a wedding celebration had ended in such violence. 'For a wedding to be shot up like that is ridiculous,' local resident Robert told WISN 12 News. 'A wedding day is supposed to be something that two people have to care and love each other, and for someone to disrupt that is disrupting a family.'
Williams is wanted on suspicion of reckless injury with use of a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm by a felon, and bail jumping.
