KENOSHA, Wis. — A Zion, Illinois man accused of opening fire outside Arbor Green Apartments Monday night was formally charged Wednesday with two counts of attempted first-degree intentional homicide, use of a dangerous weapon.

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Anthony Neal, 53, appeared in Kenosha County Circuit Court for his initial appearance. Prosecutors asked for $500,000 cash bail, but Court Commissioner William Michel II set bond at $250,000 cash, citing the seriousness of the allegations and multiple witness accounts.

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According to the criminal complaint, the shooting happened around 9 p.m. on August 18 when a man drove to Arbor Green to pick up a woman he knew. Once she got into the passenger seat of his vehicle, she reportedly said, “there he is,” just before Neal appeared at the driver’s side door.

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The male victim told police that Neal tried pulling on the door handle while pointing a black handgun directly into the car. Neal allegedly fired one round into the vehicle before the driver sped off. As he fled, he said Neal fired three to four more shots at the car. Officers later documented two bullet strikes on the driver’s side of the vehicle, including one that shattered the window and another embedded in the rear door.

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The female passenger, who told officers she had previously been romantically involved with Neal, confirmed the account, saying Neal came up to the vehicle and fired multiple shots. She said she saw smoke from the gunfire and was scared for her life. Her mother also witnessed the shooting and reported seeing Neal with a gun in his hand, firing four shots into the vehicle before she and her granddaughter ran back inside their apartment.

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Police recovered five spent 9mm shell casings in the parking lot and later found a live 9mm round in Neal’s pocket. A plastic speed loader was also discovered in the alley Neal had walked through after the shooting. Officers documented an additional bullet strike in the siding of a nearby apartment building.

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During a later interview, Neal denied firing a gun, though he admitted to owning a firearm stored in Zion, Illinois. He told officers that others would “lie” and say he had a gun, but also said, “If I’m guilty, I’m guilty.”

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At Wednesday’s hearing, Assistant District Attorney Toni Young said, “This is an extremely high felony, a class B, second highest in our state. Just one count would carry 60 years of imprisonment. We believe the state has a very strong case here.”

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Defense attorney Benjamin Schwarz argued for a lower bond, noting Neal’s lack of prior criminal history, his ties to family in the area, and his cooperation with police. Schwarz also suggested that bullet evidence at Arbor Green might not all be linked to this case because of previous shooting incidents at the complex.

Michel ultimately sided with prosecutors on the seriousness of the charges but lowered the requested bail to $250,000 cash, with strict conditions including no contact with either of the alleged victims.

If convicted, Neal faces up to 60 years in prison on each count of attempted first-degree intentional homicide, plus up to five additional years for the use of a dangerous weapon.

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