In the spring of 2018, a simmering feud between two neighbors in a Portage, Wisconsin apartment building reached a tragic and fatal conclusion. The life of Victor Reynolds, a 54-year-old White male, was cut short after a physical altercation with his downstairs neighbor, Calvin Eldridge, escalated to the point of gunfire. The dispute, which had been brewing for some time, centered on noise complaints and allegations of harassment, creating a tense living environment for both men. Reynolds, who lived on the floor above Eldridge, was reportedly a source of loud music and other disturbances that grated on Eldridge and his family. Efforts to resolve their differences had been unsuccessful, with both men refusing opportunities to relocate to different apartments within the complex. The ongoing conflict had previously involved law enforcement, with a history of complaints being filed.
On the evening of May 7, 2018, the long-standing animosity between the two men boiled over. The confrontation began after a dispute over a slammed door. This seemingly minor incident ignited a physical fight between Reynolds and the 49-year-old Eldridge. The altercation intensified, with both men reportedly exchanging blows. Eldridge, who had a concealed carry permit, was armed at the time. He would later claim that during the struggle, Reynolds put him in a headlock and that he feared Reynolds was attempting to take his gun. In the midst of the fight, Eldridge drew his weapon and fired a single shot, striking Reynolds in the leg.
Following the shooting, police were dispatched to the apartment building around 5 p.m. They discovered a wounded but conscious Victor Reynolds in the doorway of his apartment. He was able to tell the officers that Eldridge had shot him. Reynolds was transported to a local hospital and later airlifted to UW Hospital in Madison. Despite medical efforts, the gunshot had damaged a critical artery, and Reynolds succumbed to his injury and was pronounced dead on May 8, 2018. Calvin Eldridge was taken into custody by the Portage Police Department.
Initially, Calvin Eldridge was arrested and faced a charge of second-degree reckless homicide for the death of Victor Reynolds. As the case proceeded through the legal system, Eldridge maintained that he had acted in self-defense. Ultimately, the prosecution and defense reached a plea agreement. In September of 2018, Eldridge pleaded guilty to lesser charges, including recklessly endangering safety and misdemeanor endangerment with the use of a dangerous weapon. The more serious charge of reckless homicide was dismissed. As a result of his plea, Eldridge was sentenced to nine months in jail and four years of probation. He was also ordered to pay a portion of Reynolds' funeral expenses.
