A late-night burst of gunfire from a vacant Milwaukee mall that triggered a police standoff ended in probation, not prison, for the man at the center of it all.
Hyrom Stokes, 38, was sentenced Thursday to three years of supervised probation after pleading guilty earlier this year to second-degree recklessly endangering safety. Prosecutors said he fired multiple shots from the shuttered commercial property near Fond du Lac and North avenues on Oct. 16, 2024.
Judge Stays Prison Term, Orders Probation
According to court records, Judge Kori Ashley formally imposed a prison sentence but then stayed it in favor of three years of probation, as reported by FOX6. The station reports that Stokes had already entered his guilty plea earlier this year, with the sentencing taking place Thursday.
ShotSpotter Alerts, Mall Roof and Seized Weapons
A Milwaukee County criminal complaint details how officers were dispatched after a ShotSpotter activation registered up to 10 shots near 2100 W. North Ave. As officers approached a vacant commercial mall, they heard more gunfire, the complaint states.
Investigators later recovered a 7.62mm AK-style Draco pistol, a bolt-action rifle with a magnified optic and a .38 Special revolver. On the mall roof, they found 11 spent casings. According to the complaint, Stokes admitted firing the AK-style pistol but denied shooting at officers.
Felony Charge and Potential Penalties
Stokes pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree recklessly endangering safety, a felony that can carry up to 15 years in prison and a $25,000 fine at the high end, according to a Milwaukee Police Department press release. That release prompted the criminal complaint that outlines the recovered weapons and the ShotSpotter activations tied to the case.
What Probation Means Going Forward
With the prison term stayed, Stokes will serve a three-year probationary term under court-ordered conditions. Any violation could bring the suspended prison sentence back into play, according to court records.
The Oct. 16 incident, centered on a vacant structure along a busy city corridor, now stands as another example of how unused commercial properties can become flashpoints for public-safety concerns, according to the public documents and reporting in the case.
