In the early evening of March 3, 2014, the life of 33-year-old Fredrica L. Hanger, a Black/African American male, was tragically cut short in Madison, Wisconsin. The incident, which unfolded in the 1300 block of E. Wilson St., was the result of a fatal shooting that is being investigated as a homicide. Hanger had been released from prison only a short time before, on February 25, after serving a nine-year sentence.
Witnesses reported that an argument preceded the deadly encounter between
Fredrica and his older brother, 39-year-old Bonnell Hanger. Following the dispute, Bonnell Hanger allegedly shot his younger brother. An autopsy later revealed that Fredrica Hanger died from gunshot wounds to the head. The examination determined that the first shot was fired from just inches away from his face, with a second shot fired from a slightly greater distance. The specific nature of their argument was not detailed in the immediate aftermath.
In the wake of the shooting, Bonnell Hanger was arrested at the scene. He was initially taken into custody for being a felon in possession of a firearm and was identified as a suspect in the homicide. Overcome with emotion, he reportedly doubled over, put his head in his hands, and cried, telling police, "I shot my kid brother." Subsequently, Bonnell Hanger was charged with first-degree intentional homicide and possession of a firearm by a felon. He was jailed on a $100,000 bail and was scheduled for a preliminary hearing later that month.
