Police: Driver in Bugline Trail Shooting Charged

SUSSEX — The man who police believe is responsible for being the driver of a passenger accused in the Bugline Trail shooting has been charged in court.

Niikwame Bell, 19, has been charged with Manufacture/Deliver THC and Maintaining Drug Trafficking Place. If convicted, Bell could spend up to 3 years behind bars and up to $20,000 in fines.

The incident

On May 14 at about 3:35 p.m. the Waukesha County Sheriff's department was dispatched to the north side of a grocery store located in Sussex regarding a shooting.

According to Bell's criminal complaint, an eyewitness said he and a friend walked toward a burgundy Chevy Impala with tinted windows. Bell was behind the wheel. Another man was seated next to Bell in the passenger seat. The passenger reportedly rolled down the window and stated, "which one of you is doing this," at which point, the eyewitness' friend stated "I am."

According to Bell's criminal complaint, the passenger told the friend to "get in the car," which he did. Less than a minute went by before the friend exited the vehicle and began running toward the Bugline Trail. The eyewitness reported that the passenger in the car also exited the vehicle and fired four to five shots from a handgun.

According to his criminal complaint, Bell initially told Wauwatosa police that he was the victim of a carjacking. The Wauwatosa Police transported Bell to the Waukesha County Sheriff's Department where he was turned over to detectives. Bell spoke with detectives and admitted that his vehicle had not been stolen, but in fact had actually driven a passenger to Sussex to "smoke some weed" and buy some dope from other individuals.

In his criminal complaint, Bell admitted he gave a ride to the passenger to Sussex and that the passenger had set up a deal for $800 to $1,000. Bell told authorities that the passenger and one other individual "exchanged shots."

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