A North Dakota man pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to firing his gun inside a condo near downtown Milwaukee over an attempted bitcoin transaction.
It happened Saturday, December 30 at the 601 Lofts Condominiums, 601 E. Ogden Ave., according to police.
Jonathan Royce, 28, was charged with recklessly endangering safety after allegedly firing his gun at a business associate who was arguing with him and several other people over the sale of the popular cryptocurrency.
The associate, who reported the confrontation to police, said a man named "Dallas" argued in favor of the sale, while Royce wanted it called off. As the argument escalated, Royce pulled out a gun and fired it once, striking a stove vent, according to the criminal complaint.
After surveying the scene, the Milwaukee Police Department recovered a .32 caliber handgun and a deformed bullet. They also arrested Royce, who was found "leaning into a Subaru with Montana plates," the complaint says.
Royce appears to be a felon from North Dakota, according to the complaint.
Speculative investment in bitcoin has increased dramatically over the past year, with one unit of the virtual currency costing as much as $19,000 at one point last month.
