On a Sunday evening in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the life of 40-year-old Jesus R. Manso-Perez was tragically cut short in an act of violence. It was March 6, 2016, and what began as a routine trip to the apartment building's laundry room with his son turned into a fatal encounter. A neighbor, Dan J. Popp, then 39, invited Manso-Perez for a beer, an invitation that was politely declined.
The friendly gesture took a dark turn when Popp inquired about their origin.
Upon learning they were from Puerto Rico and hearing them converse in Spanish, Popp reportedly made a derogatory comment about them not speaking English. He then told them, "you guys got to go," before retrieving a rifle and shooting Manso-Perez in the head. His son, who was present, was fortunate to escape unharmed.
The violence did not end there. After killing Manso-Perez, Popp proceeded to another apartment in the building, where he forced his way in and fatally shot two more neighbors, Phia Vue, 36, and Mai K. Vue, 32, in front of their children. All three victims lived in the same apartment complex as the shooter.
Dan Popp was arrested at the scene and subsequently charged with three counts of first-degree intentional homicide and one count of attempted first-degree intentional homicide. Prior to this incident, Popp had no criminal record. If convicted, he faced the possibility of life in prison.
