Dan J. Popp, who has been charged with gunning down Jesus Manso Perez, 40, Mai Vue, 32, and Phia Vue, 36, in their apartment building in Milwaukee

A man accused of shooting dead three of his neighbors after learning one was from Puerto Rico allegedly told them 'you guys got to go' before murdering them.

Dan J. Popp, 39, has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder after allegedly gunning down Jesus Manso Perez, 40, Mai Vue, 32, and Phia Vue, 36, in their apartment building in Milwaukee.

The tragedy unfolded on March when Mr Manso-Perez and his son Jesus Manso-Carrasquillo, 18, walked by Popp's apartment and turned down the offer of a beer.

According to a criminal complaint, the pair when the attacked as they walked back to their apartment after doing their laundry.

Before they went to the basement, the document states that Popp had asked where they were from, to which they replied Puerto Rico.

The suspect then allegedly said 'Oh, that's why you don't speak English.

When they pair walked past and refused the beer, Popp is then accused of producing a long gun and told the father and son 'you guys got to go' before shooting Mr Manso-Perez.

His son then ran downstairs and outside, where he alerted the authorities.

But shortly afterwards, according to the criminal complaint, Popp burst into the Vues' apartment.

The family had fled into bedrooms when they heard the shooting, but Popp forced his way inside, led Phia Vue out and killed him, police say.

Popp then started to drag Mai Vue and her two young daughters out of the apartment, the document states. Authorities found Mai Vue dead in Popp's apartment.

Police, responding to an active shooter call, took Popp into custody without a struggle.

Members of the Vue family lay floral tributes and pictures outside the apartment building where Phia and Mai Vue were gunned down by Popp

A man lays a candle in tribute to the victims. Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm said his office was 'aware of concerns about the people who were targeted.'

Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm said his office was 'aware of concerns about the people who were targeted.'

He added: 'We'll continue to evaluate those issues as the case moves forward.'

A cluster of flowers adorned the small, concrete doorstep of the apartment building in a blue-collar neighborhood as relatives remembered three people shot and killed there as hardworking and family-oriented.

Xiomara Manso, said her brother, Mr Manso-Perez, put his family first and moved to Milwaukee six years ago from Puerto Rico to give his two children 'a better future.'

All he ever did, she said, 'was work and go home.'

Meanwhile the Vues were members of Milwaukee's Hmong community.

Mr Vue's sister True said: This has been really hard for all of us.'

The apartment building in Milwaukee where Popp allegedly murdered his victims. Crowds gathered outside for a memorial after the killings

She said her 89-year-old father, Seng Vue, couldn't believe his son died. 'All he did was cry. He couldn't believe it happened.'

True Vue said her brother was a 'Mr. Mom' who took care of the family's four children.