Milwaukee police are investigating what led to the killing of a well-known dentist in the area. The family of Dr. Akintunde Bowden described him as a gentle giant, saying they can’t imagine how his own neighbor allegedly gunned him down inside their apartment building.
Keionna McGowan, 27, was in her apartment on Saturday (April 19) doing her hair, trying on clothes and listening to music when one of her neighbors started banging on her front door, according to the criminal complaint obtained by WISN. That’s when the woman said she looked through her peephole and saw Bowden, 41, yelling on the other side of the door.
McGowan described Bowden to investigators as “a large man who appeared to be intoxicated.” She said she believed Bowden was holding a beer can during the altercation, but according to officers, only a can of sparkling water was found next to his feet, according to KBTX. She also said she felt uncomfortable due to Bowden allegedly yelling and banging on the door.
Eventually, the 27-year-old opened the door and agreed to turn her music down, but that’s not where the story ends. When McGowan shut her door, Bowden allegedly started kicking it “with enough force to shake the apartment,” according to WISN. That’s when the woman went to get her gun.
McGowan returned to the door after allegedly fearing Bowden would break inside her home. She opened the door and fired off one shot at Bowden, knocking him to the ground, according to reports. It’s unclear who called the police following the shot, but once officials arrived to the scene, they spotted McGowan running outside the apartment building in a pink dress without shoes on, according to WISN.
Police say the woman told them “Help!” and “He’s in my house, number 207.” When officers got to the unit, they found Bowden lying face down in the middle of McGowan’s doorway. Despite medical assistance to the single gunshot wound in his lower abdomen, Bowden was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the New York Post.
The victim’s fiancée told officials Bowden was home watching basketball before he confronted McGowan about her noise level. The fiancée said previous noise complaints about McGowan’s apartment had always been civil. That night was the first time the 41-year-old had personally confronted McGowan, according to his fiancée.
Bowden’s brother, Adeniji Bowden, told CBS 58, “You know, I never thought that the last time I saw my brother would be the last time I saw my brother.” He continued adding his brother was “the loudest guy in the room. Your biggest cheerleader. Your biggest supporter.”
McGowan was taken into custody and charged with second-degree reckless homicide with use of a dangerous weapon, according to WISN. Her bond was set to $15,000, KBTX reported.
If convicted, McGowan could be sentenced up to 25 years in prison, with an additional 5 years for using a dangerous weapon.