Whitewater Police Chief Dan Meyer in a news release on Friday stated that arrests, involving two suspects from Elkhorn, were made last month involving the alleged brandishing of a firearm.

According to the release, on Friday, Sept. 15, at 4:29 p.m., Whitewater police officers responded to the location of the McDonald’s in Whitewater, 1069 W. Main St., “after a group of juveniles reported an unknown female had yelled at them and brandished a concealed firearm.”

“At one point,” the release noted, “the suspect set the firearm down on a table with the barrel pointed in the direction of the juveniles.”

According to the release, “Officers were able to verify the events reported after reviewing surveillance footage.”

Additionally, the release noted, “officers determined that the female, as well as a male accompanying her, had handled the firearm.”

The suspects involved in the incident were identified within the release as Kya Hines, 19, and Trevor Barnes, 21, both of Elkhorn.

“Barnes was determined to have a prior felony conviction and was therefore disqualified from lawfully possessing a firearm,” the release stated. 

Additionally, the release reported, on Thursday, Sept. 21, the Whitewater Search Warrant Response Team (SRT) executed two separate search warrants, with support from Whitewater EMS and the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office.

Hines and Barnes were taken into custody during the first search warrant, and Barnes’ residence was searched during the second search warrant. At the time of the arrest, Hines and Barnes were in possession of a large amount of ammunition and five firearms, four of which, police allege, were determined to have been stolen, the release reported. 

“The Walworth County District Attorney’s Office has formally charged Hines for the following crimes: Disorderly Conduct – Use of a Dangerous Weapon (Wis. Stat. 947.01), Intentionally Point Firearm at Person (Wis Stat. 941.20(1)(c)), Straw Purchasing of Firearm (Wis. Stat. 941.2905(1)), and Carrying a Concealed Weapon (Wis. Stat. 941.23(2)). The Walworth County District Attorney’s Office has formally charged Barnes with the following crime: Possession of a Firearm by a Felon (Wis Stat. 941.29(1m)(a)) (6 counts),” according to the release. 

“Further investigation into Hines and Barnes uncovered (alleged) additional criminal activity that had occurred outside the city of Whitewater, including a burglary to a Walworth County residence as well as vandalism to, and theft from, multiple DNR cash deposit boxes. All information regarding those crimes was forwarded to agencies with proper jurisdiction,” the release read. 

“It is noted that this case has not been concluded. Unless a judgment of conviction is entered, the defendants are presumed innocent of all charges,” the release stated. 

A translation into Spanish of the original release, as submitted for publication by the Whitewater Police Department, is shown below.