MILWAUKEE, WI — Police have arrested and charged Jonathan Copeland, the man accused of shooting and killing Milwaukee Police Officer Michael Michalski. A criminal complaint filed with the Milwaukee County District Attorney's office recounts Michalski's chilling last few moments leading up to his death.

On the morning of July 25, Copeland sent a text message to his wife, saying he would shoot police if they come after him. Copeland was wanted by police for multiple drug crimes, as well as a warrant for absconding from the Department of Corrections, according to the criminal complaint. Police say Copeland's wife called the police to report that he was threatening to shoot up her house because she refused to reimburse him for an unknown expense.

According to two City of Milwaukee police detectives, they saw Copeland go into a house on the 2400 block of N. 28th Street on the evening of July 25. Multiple officers planned to go to the house in question to arrest him. Police say they arrived outside the house, a ramshackle side-by-side two-story duplex built in the early 1900's on Milwaukee's near north side. Police split up to search the house. Some searched the main and lower floors. Officer Michalski made the decision to ascend the century-old and dimly-lit wooden stairs to the second floor.

The stairs Michalski began to climb turned as they ascended so that the top of the stairs could not be seen from the bottom. As he inched his way forward, he rounded the bend in the stairs. A pile of laundry came into Michalski's view at the top of the stairs, according to police accounts. Department-issue body camera footage recorded Michalski's final few moments alive. According to reports, Michalski saw the pile of laundry move slightly.

The camera view suddenly blurs, consistent with Michalski moving rapidly to attempt a retreat. At that instant, gunshots rang out, and the camera view goes black as Michalski falls onto the camera. When fellow officers converged on Michalski's location, they saw him lying motionless on the stairs to the upper floor.

Police say Michalski immediately fell after the first gunshot and never moved again. The bullet entered the back of his head, traveled downward and exited his neck.

According to the criminal complaint, Copeland pushed out a window screen on the second floor to fire his gun at officers outside on the lawn. Police say Copeland ran out of ammunition. He threw his .45-caliber High Point semi-automatic pistol out the window and to the ground. Police converged on Copeland's location in the house and arrested him.