A dispute between two women in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin turned dangerous Tuesday evening when a gun discharged during a struggle to disarm one of them, and officers ended up recovering two loaded firearms from the scene. No one was hit by the gunfire, but a 21-year-old Racine woman now faces multiple felony charges tied to the confrontation.
Officers were dispatched to the area of Durand Avenue and Packard Avenue shortly before 5 p.m. Tuesday for a shots-fired call, according to the Mount Pleasant Police Department, as reported by FOX6 News Milwaukee. Police say the confrontation began as a dispute between two women, one of whom grabbed a gun and attempted to confront the other. A third party then tried to step in and disarm her, and the weapon discharged during that struggle, per the outlet's report.
Two Loaded Firearms Recovered at the Scene
Investigators located two loaded firearms at the scene once they arrived, the station notes. The 21-year-old Racine woman was taken into custody following the discharge and was transported to the Racine County Jail, according to the same account.
That distinction carries real weight under Wisconsin law. First-degree recklessly endangering safety is a Class F felony under Wisconsin Statute § 941.30(1), requiring proof that a person acted with utter disregard for human life — and importantly, physical injury is not a legal requirement for conviction. Second-degree recklessly endangering safety, a Class G felony under the same statute, applies to reckless conduct that lacks that utter-disregard element, giving prosecutors a lesser-included option depending on the circumstances.
What a Conviction Could Mean
The stakes are steep either way. A Class F felony conviction carries up to 12.5 years in prison under Wisconsin Statute § 939.50(3)(f) — split between as much as 7.5 years of state confinement and 5 years of extended supervision — plus a fine of up to $25,000. A Class G felony carries a maximum of 10 years in prison and the same $25,000 fine ceiling.
Notably, Wisconsin legal analysis indicates a person can face felony reckless endangerment exposure even when the gun discharges accidentally during someone else's attempt to disarm them, according to the Eisenberg Law Offices. Liability under the statute turns on whether the conduct created a substantial risk of death or serious injury, not on whether the person intended to fire the weapon.
Case Heads to Racine County Circuit Court
Because the charges are felonies, the case will be handled by the Racine County District Attorney's Office in Racine County Circuit Court rather than Mount Pleasant's municipal court, which only handles local ordinance and minor traffic matters, per a local legal analysis from Cafferty, Scheidegger & Johnson, S.C. Under Wisconsin criminal procedure, a person held in jail after a warrantless arrest must receive a judicial probable cause review within 48 hours and an initial court appearance to hear formal charges and have bail set, according to the Bucher Law Group, LLC — appearances that in Racine County typically go before a court commissioner.
Mount Pleasant Police officers have carried body-worn cameras as standard equipment for several years, generating video evidence that is routinely requested in local criminal proceedings, per the same legal analysis. It remains unclear whether footage from Tuesday's confrontation was captured on camera.
Mount Pleasant is a Racine County village of roughly 27,000 residents that sits along Durand Avenue and Interstate 94, adjacent to the City of Racine in southeastern Wisconsin. Its police department maintains an authorized strength of 56 sworn officers.
Police say the incident does not pose an ongoing danger to the public and that the matter remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Mount Pleasant Police Department, and anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers through the P3 Tips app or by calling 262-636-9330.
