By John Diedrich and Sharif Durhams
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Milwaukee Police Officer Vidal Colón ordered Louis M. Domenech to drop his gun, but instead, Domenech looked the officer in the eye and opened fire from 7 feet away, according to a criminal complaint.
Colón could feel the bullets hitting him as he returned fire from his department-issued Glock, which would eventually jam, the complaint said. Both men were hit and both would survive the Saturday afternoon shootout in a gangway between two homes on Milwaukee’s south side.
On Thursday, Domenech, 45, a nine-time felon, was charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide, possession of a firearm by a felon and two drug possession charges.
If convicted, he could spend the rest of his life in prison.
Domenech was on federal supervised release for a 2000 conviction for being a felon in possession of a gun.
Police said earlier this week that Domenech tried to shoot an officer in 2000 but his gun jammed.
Federal court documents indicate only that Domenech was reaching for his waistband.
In that case, Milwaukee police found him at a drug house, according to federal court records. As the officers came in, Domenech reached for his waistband where there was a gun and then jumped out a window, the records show.
Domenech received 94 months in federal prison and was released in November 2007.
According to the criminal complaint issued Thursday, Saturday’s shooting started with a dispute between Domenech and his niece’s boyfriend.
Domenech confronted the boyfriend outside a house on S. 36th St., showed him a gun and told him, “Don’t get too close,” according to the complaint.
The boyfriend’s mother called police, and officers chased Domenech, driving a Chevrolet Blazer, to S. 34th St., where Domenech jumped out and ran.
Milwaukee Police Chief Edward A. Flynn said Colón, 30, a seven-year veteran of the Police Department, suffered three gunshot wounds to the abdomen and the leg. He was released from the hospital earlier in the week.
Domenech remains hospitalized but his condition has stabilized.
Copyright 2009 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel