Fatal shooting of Milwaukee woman heard during remote class

The fatal shooting of a Milwaukee woman was heard during a virtual Milwaukee Public Schools class last week. 

Mario Stokes allegedly shot his sister, Michelle Blackmon, multiple times in the head in her home on Sept. 11, police said in a criminal complaint filed in Milwaukee County. The day before the shooting, she told him that “he would have to leave the house the next day.” 

Stokes was charged with illegal possession of a firearm and first-degree homicide following the shooting, according to the complaint. Another resident was inside the home at the time of the incident and was awoken to five gunshots, the complaint stated.

A young student was also logged onto a virtual Milwaukee Public Schools class during the shooting, NBC News reported. 

Milwaukee Public Schools spokesman Earl Arms told the outlet that “It was one of our MPS students that had a shooting happen while they were on the (remote) classroom and everyone could hear it.”

The teacher in the virtual class called 911 to send police to the student’s home, according to WISN in Milwaukee.

Stokes allegedly told the other resident inside the home who was awoken by the gunshots that “I’m on my way to the police to turn myself in,” according to the outlet.

Milwaukee police officer Monique Foster said that Stokes entered a nearby police station after the shooting and informed her that “his sister no longer existed” and “that he did it and that he used a .380,” according to the complaint. 

Police later located that type of handgun and multiple casings in the home. The weapons charge against Stokes is connected to allegedly having a gun as a previously convicted felon. 

The incident is not the first time a fatal shooting has occurred near a virtual class. Last month, a remote-learning class in Florida was interrupted when the mother of an elementary student was shot and killed during an online session.

The Hill has reached out to Milwaukee Public Schools for comment.