Jan. 10, 2023 8:20p
(WGTD)---The Racine man shot and killed on New Year's Day in the bar he owned may have been hit by friendly fire.
According to a criminal complaint, 66-year-old Avery Stewart was in the process of trying to calm down an irate customer amidst a lot of pushing and shoving when a gun discharged.
That gun was being held by 56-year-old Billy Petty of Racine, the second man to die in the bar that night.
The complaint says that it appeared that Petty had gone to the aid of Stewart, but Petty wound up hitting the customer in the face while holding the gun. It went off accidentally, with the bullet striking Stewart who then fell into a bar stool.
A few moments later, 24-year-old Abdullah Rashada allegedly appeared with his own gun and shot Petty from a distance, then approached and shot him twice at close range.
By the time police arrived, Petty and Stewart lay dying on the floor a few feet from each other at the bar's entrance.
An arrest warrant has been issued for Rashada, who's facing a count of 1st Degree Intentional Homicide and several counts of endangering safety.
The complaint is based in part on high-quality images from numerous security cameras that are mounted both inside and outside of the bar, according to the complaint.
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