Brookfield man charged after fatal shooting near 38th Street and North Avenue in Milwaukee

What authorities say happened

A 58-year-old Milwaukee man, Patrick Kelly Davis, was fatally shot near the intersection of North 38th Street and West North Avenue on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. Milwaukee police were called to the area just before 2:30 p.m. and found Davis suffering from a gunshot wound; he was pronounced dead.

In the days after the killing, prosecutors filed a first-degree reckless homicide charge against a 67-year-old Brookfield man, Nathaniel Richards. Court records describe the shooting as occurring outside an apartment building near 38th and North and allege Davis was shot once in the chest.

Alleged dispute and witness accounts

The criminal complaint outlines a dispute that escalated quickly. A witness told investigators she had arrived at the apartment shortly before the shooting to buy crack cocaine from a man she knew as “Nate.” The complaint states Davis arrived soon after, and an argument began over a woman identified as “Megan.”

According to the allegations, the man identified as “Nate” retrieved a firearm from a bedroom. The complaint says Davis tried to leave after seeing the gun, the two moved outside, and a single gunshot was heard within seconds. A second witness inside the apartment told detectives he saw “Nate” holding a small black handgun during the argument, then heard one shot after the dispute went outside. The complaint also describes a third person—identified as the driver who brought Davis to the location—reporting that he heard the gunshot, saw a red Jeep leave, and called 911.

The allegations described in the complaint have not been tested in court. Richards is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Arrest and items seized

Police arrested Richards the next day at his apartment in Brookfield, according to the complaint. Investigators reported finding two firearms, ammunition and more than $62,000 in cash stored in three safes.

The complaint also states that police searched a red Jeep linked to Richards and recovered two cellphones and about 206 grams of a white powder that tested positive for cocaine.

Where the case stands

Richards was scheduled to make an initial court appearance on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. Milwaukee police have said the circumstances leading up to the shooting remained under investigation following the Jan. 13 incident.

• Victim identified: Patrick Kelly Davis, 58, of Milwaukee
• Defendant: Nathaniel Richards, 67, of Brookfield
• Charge filed: first-degree reckless homicide
• Location: near North 38th Street and West North Avenue