Elena Yrlas of Milwaukee says a prayer after placing flowers at the apartment doorstep of her friend and colleague Mai K. Vue, 32, who was shot and killed there on Sunday. Credit: Mike De Sisti

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A 39-year-old Milwaukee man methodically shot and killed three of his neighbors at point-blank range last weekend at an apartment complex on the city's south side, according to a criminal complaint filed Thursday.

Dan J. Popp faces three counts of first-degree intentional homicide in the deaths of Jesus R. Manso-Perez, 40; Phia Vue, 36; and Mai K. Vue, 32. The victims were pronounced dead in their four-unit apartment building in the 3300 block of S. 92nd St. after the shooting was reported about 5:45 p.m. Sunday.

Popp also faces a charge of attempted first-degree intentional homicide for shooting at, but not wounding, Manso-Perez's 18-year-old son. Popp, who lived in the apartment complex, was arrested Sunday. Milwaukee police have said two firearms — a rifle and handgun — were found at the scene.

The criminal complaint outlines a chilling chain of events that apparently began when Popp asked Manso-Perez and his son if they wanted a beer.

According to the complaint:

Manso-Perez and his son were walking by Popp's apartment on their way to wash clothes. They declined the offer of a beer.

Popp then asked where they were from and the father and son replied Puerto Rico.

The son later told police that Popp replied: "Oh, that's why you don't speak English. You're Puerto Rican."

Manso-Perez and his son continued to the basement where they got the washing machine started. As they climbed the stairs back to their apartment, Popp stood over them on a landing. He was armed with a rifle.

The son told police Popp pointed the gun at his father — saying, "You guys got to go" — and pulled the trigger.

Manso-Perez was shot in the head.

As his son turned to run toward the front door, he glanced up and saw Popp point the gun at him. He heard a second shot, which he told police he believed was meant for him.

Phia Vue, his wife, Mai Vue, and their four children lived in another unit in the apartment complex. The couple had been out of town most of the weekend, leaving a 25-year-old relative to baby-sit the children.

Soon after they returned home on Sunday, there was a knock on the door.

It was Popp. The 25-year-old relative answered the door and Popp asked her if someone was knocking. She told him no and he left.

A short time later, the family heard several gunshots coming from the apartment hallway. It was not clear in court records if the sound they heard was Popp shooting Manso-Perez or firing randomly in the hallway.

Hearing the gunshots, Phia and Mai Vue, their four children and the adult relative hid in a bedroom together. They heard pounding on their apartment door and Mai gave the relative a cellphone to call police.

Popp kicked down the front door, made his way into the bedroom and pointed the rifle at Phia, ordering him to leave.

Phia followed Popp, and his family inside the bedroom heard two or three gunshots. Officers found Phia dead in the bathroom. He had a gunshot wound to the head.

Popp returned to the bedroom and began to drag Mai and her two young daughters out of the apartment while the older relative and other children followed. Some were able to run outside.

'He shot my father'

The couple's son was the first to see police officers outside. The young man was crying hysterically and pointed at the apartment building, saying, "He shot my father; he is in the bathroom."

As the officer approached the building, they heard a single gunshot and took cover on the porch.

One officer called out and heard an unspecified response from the second floor.

"Hey can I talk to you?" the officer said.

A voice responded no and said something about feeling sick.

A few minutes later, the front door of the building opened and Popp walked out with a rifle slung over his shoulder.

Officers yelled at Popp to drop the weapon.

"I'm just going to go to the cop car by the curb," Popp told the officers, even though there was no squad car in sight.

Popp lowered his shoulder and the gun slid down his arm. The officers ordered him to the ground and arrested him.

More officers arrived and went into the building. Two young girls came down the stairs and officers carried them out.

Officers found Manso-Perez on a stairwell landing; Phia Vue inside the bathroom of his family's apartment; and Mai Vue inside Popp's apartment.

Popp made his initial appearance in court Thursday and his attorney requested a competency exam, which was granted. A court-ordered mental health examiner will determine if Popp understands the charges and is able to aid in his defense.

Popp has not faced criminal charges in Wisconsin before, according to online court records. The day before the triple homicides, a medical call was reported at Popp's residence, a police spokesman said. Otherwise, there had been no police calls to the apartment building this year or in all of 2015, according to police.

Popp remained Thursday in Milwaukee County Jail on $150,000 bail.

On Thursday afternoon, Mai Vue's co-worker, Elena Yrlas, placed a bouquet on the front step of the apartment building.

Yrlas met Mai Vue about four years ago while they worked at Kohl's corporate offices in Menomonee Falls. After Yrlas retired, they kept in touch, and the two had tea together just last week at the Lakefront Colectivo.

"She loved her son and her three daughters," Yrlas said. "She believed in higher education. She and her husband wanted to better their lives."