Madison woman guilty in fatal downtown parking ramp shooting

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Madison woman has been convicted in a fatal shooting in a downtown Madison parking ramp in 2018.

A Dane County jury late Wednesday found Kenyairra Gadson guilty of first-degree reckless homicide in the death of 21-year-old Steven Villegas. Jurors rejected Gadson’s notion that she was acting in self-defense when she shot Villegas during a confrontation between two groups of people.

The jury deliberated for nearly 19 hours over two days before reaching a verdict.

Supporters of Gadson and Villegas sat on opposite sides of the courtroom and had strong reactions when the verdict was read.

Members of Villegas’ family wept with relief while some of Gadson’s supporters shouted at District Attorney Ismael Ozanne. One woman stood on a back bench, pointed at Ozanne and shouted “Ismael Ozanne, we’re coming for you. You better be ready.”

Bailiffs removed the woman and cleared the courtroom while Judge Chris Taylor excused the jury, the State Journa l reported.

When the session resumed, Taylor accepted the verdicts and entered judgments of conviction. Taylor also revoked Gadson’s $100,000 bail which had been posted by community activists.