Suspect wanted in Wausau drive-by shooting arrested in Texas

WAUSAU – Police found a man wanted in connection with a July drive-by shooting Friday morning near Dallas.

Police in Euless, Texas, arrested Maurice "JB" Bell, 32, on suspicion of an incident unrelated to the downtown Wausau shooting and a Wisconsin Department of Corrections warrant, Wausau police said Friday. 

According to Marathon County prosecutors, Bell shot at two teenage boys July 3 on North First Street near McIndoe Avenue. Bell came to Wausau from Chicago after a woman told him someone beat one of her son's friends with a baseball bat over an alleged drug robbery, according to a criminal complaint. Bell replied in a text message that he would "shoot up the whole f---ing town literally," the complaint states.

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Bell shot at the boys because it was believed they were involved in the baseball bat attack, according to court documents. No one was injured in the shooting.

Wausau police are asking prosecutors to charge Bell with attempted first-degree homicide and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. Police did not know Friday when Texas police would send Bell back to Wausau.

Amanda Lewis, the woman who prosecutors say texted Bell, also faces attempted homicide charges in connection with the shooting.

Contact Natalie Brophy at 715-216-5452 or nbrophy@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @brophy_natalie or Facebook at facebook.com/bynataliebrophy.