Police in Milwaukee, Wisconsin are searching for a 41-year-old man accused of shooting two people during a wedding reception that allegedly spiralled into violence after a dispute over how food was being eaten.
The incident took place on June 20 at the Aria Business Center, where a wedding celebration reportedly descended into chaos following an argument in the kitchen that prosecutors say began when a groomsman was seen eating meatballs with his hands instead of using cutlery.
According to a criminal complaint, the bride’s cousin confronted the man and told him to use a plate and utensils, a remark that escalated into a heated exchange. What began as a disagreement quickly turned physical, with police saying the suspect, identified as Thomas Redrick Williams, allegedly punched a woman after she challenged him.
The situation then escalated further when her brother-in-law intervened. Prosecutors allege that Williams subsequently pulled out a firearm and opened fire during the confrontation. Two people were shot in the incident. A woman sustained gunshot wounds to her arm and leg, while a man was struck in the back of the neck. Both victims survived after being transported to hospital for treatment.
Witness accounts and police reports indicate that the bride witnessed the shooting and followed the suspect outside as he attempted to leave the venue. She reportedly confronted him beside his car and grabbed his key fob in an attempt to prevent him from driving away. Authorities say the suspect abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene on foot.
Police later searched the car, which is registered to Williams’ wife, and recovered a Taurus 9mm handgun. Investigators also noted that Williams was already out on bond in an unrelated case at the time of the shooting. He is now wanted on suspicion of reckless injury with use of a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm by a felon, and bail jumping. A warrant has been issued for his arrest, and he remains at large.
Footage aired by local broadcaster 12 News showed a visibly distressed bride outside the venue following the incident, while local residents expressed shock that a wedding celebration had ended in gunfire. “For a wedding to be shot up like that is ridiculous,” one resident told WISN 12 News. “A wedding day is supposed to be something that two people have to care and love each other, and for someone to disrupt that is disrupting a family.”
