Suspect: 'I knifed him. I wish I could have killed him.'

A 28-year-old Port Washington man was charged Friday with first-degree attempted homicide in connection with a this week.

Anthony D. Peters, 617 Montgomery St., was charged in Ozaukee County Circuit Court in the stabbing of Michael Fosco, 54, of Port Washington.

Fosco underwent surgery for a stab wound to the lower abdomen at the Aurora Medical Center in Grafton, according to Saukville Police Chief Bill Meloy.

Peters and Fosco were acquaintances, although the attacked was unplanned.

According to the criminal complaint:

The encounter in the beverage aisle of the store was by chance, but Peters was paying Fosco back for an altercation that the victim had with Peters' roommate earlier.

Peters, who has a criminal record, told police that he had known Fosco from “a few different bars.”

Officer Barry Effinger, who questioned Peters after his arrest, reported that the suspect blurted out: “I was there and I settled it. I wish I could have finished the job.”

When Effinger asked what Peters meant, Peters responded: “Don't you (expletive) get it? I knifed him. I wish I could have (expletive) killed him.”

The incident occurred at about 1:50 p.m. Wednesday.

Thomas Schmidt, a Walmart employee, told police he was in the manager’s office when he responded to a page from one of the cashiers who had called 911. After being told of the incident, he went to the aisle where Fosco was lying in a pool of blood.

Fearing that the armed man might still be in the store, Schmidt said he looked for the suspect, but did not immediately see him.

When Schmidt asked the bleeding man what happened, Fosco said: “This guy was acting funny, jabbed me as he walked past.”

After getting a better description, Schmidt said he spotted Peters walking from the area of the candy aisle and photo shop. As Peters walked past Schmidt, Schmidt said he saw that Peters was holding something in his right hand.

Meanwhile, Ronald Tagye, 45, was in a checkout line with his wife, Michelle. Tagye is a security guard at a Milwaukee housing project and is licensed to carry a gun, Michelle Tagye said. Because he was off duty, he was unarmed, she said.

The store security guards were at the exit to the store, but she said they were told that they were not allowed to pursue suspects into the parking lot.

Tagye, of Cedarburg, followed Peters to the parking lot. As Peters was opening the door to a van, Tagye kicked it shut. The driver of the van then drove off, but later went to the Saukville police station, where he was questioned.

Peters was arrested in the parking lot.

Peters was convicted in May of criminal damage to property, a misdemeanor. He was sentenced to 60 days in the Ozaukee County jail.

Peters also was convicted earlier of carrying a concealed weapon, disorderly conduct, resisting an officer and bail jumping.

Peters is slated to appear in court Tuesday for a bail hearing. He faces up to 60 years in prison if convicted of the attempted homicide charge. He could face up to two additional years in prison based on the previous misdemeanor convictions.