Bluebird Motel Parking Lot Deal Erupts In Gunfire Near Kenosha

Four men are in custody after a 39-year-old man was shot multiple times late Friday in the parking lot of the Bluebird Motel in the Village of Somers, in what deputies say started as an arranged narcotics deal and turned into an attempted armed robbery. Authorities said the wounded man managed to drive himself to a hospital and is expected to survive. The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office has sent formal charges to the Kenosha County District Attorney’s Office for review.

Deputies were called to reports of gunfire around 11:38 p.m. and located the victim after he had fled the motel lot in his vehicle, according to FOX6 News Milwaukee. Investigators said they ultimately identified several suspects and arrested four men in connection with the shooting. Authorities have not yet released the men’s names or specific potential charges.

Where the shooting happened

The Bluebird Motel sits on Sheridan Road near the Somers-Kenosha border; property records list the address as 779 Sheridan Road in Somers, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society. The society’s inventory notes the motel dates to the early 1950s and remains a small, low-rise Route 32 lodging property. Its spot along a busy county route means that when trouble does break out, it tends to draw a crowd of squad cars.

How investigators say they tracked suspects

Detectives pulled together the case using surveillance video, FLOCK license-plate readers, digital evidence and witness interviews, which led them to multiple suspects and ultimately four arrests, investigators told FOX6 News Milwaukee. The sheriff’s office said the shooting unfolded during an attempted armed robbery that followed the arranged narcotics transaction in the motel parking lot. Investigators are still gathering evidence while the case file sits with prosecutors.

Legal status and next steps

The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office has referred formal charges to the Kenosha County District Attorney’s Office, which will decide what criminal counts, if any, to file. While that plays out, deputies are still looking for tips. Media releases list the Detective Bureau tip line at 262-605-5102, according to the Kenosha County Sheriff's Office. Officials say more details will be released when they are able to share them.