MILWAUKEE — Family and friends are identifying the 18-year-old killed in a triple shooting on Milwaukee’s northwest side Tuesday as Elyon “Tank” Benton.
Leonora Lugo, who knew Benton and his mother, described the recent graduate as “always happy, always smiling.” She said those close to Benton now want justice.
Benton was killed in a shooting around 8:02 p.m. Tuesday outside United Petro Mart near Appleton and Hampton. Two other people, ages 29 and 39, were also shot and taken to local hospitals.
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By Wednesday, signs of the gunfire were still visible inside the gas station. One bullet went through a window, while another struck a television.
Store manager Shubh Tiwana told TMJ4 the store’s surveillance cameras captured around 15 shots being fired outside.
Tiwana said the video appeared to show some kind of altercation before the shooting. Police have not said what led up to the gunfire.
One of the people who was shot then made it inside the gas station looking for safety, Tiwana said.
For Tiwana, the three people caught in the gunfire weren’t strangers: he said they were familiar faces who would come into the store, talk with him, and joke around.
“It’s horrifying, you know, because, like, I wouldn’t want that on anyone — like anybody’s family or nothing. Nobody deserves that,” Tiwana said.
He said the shooting was especially difficult because violence like this was not something his family had experienced at the store. Tiwana said it was the first violent incident there since his family took over the business about two and a half years ago.
“Everybody has a mom, a dad, a brother, a sister. They don’t want to see their son not come home. Their brother — like I would be horrified if my brother didn’t come home,” Tiwana said.
The store's surveillance system captured what happened, but Tiwana said he will not release the video publicly out of respect for Benton, the other victims and their families.
Instead, he turned it over to Milwaukee police.
By Wednesday, an MPD forensic unit van was outside the gas station. A detective also came to the business to collect surveillance video as investigators worked to piece together what happened.
Lugo hopes that justice comes quickly.
"All we can scream is just justice, all we can do is let the courts deal with it," Lugo said. "We’ll be at all court dates, we’re gonna keep praying."
The shooting has also spread beyond the crime scene through social media.
Community activist Tracey Dent raised concerns about a video circulating online that shows Benton lying dead at the scene, and urged people to think about Benton’s family before sharing images of his death.
He also urged people not to let Benton’s killing lead to more violence.
“Be there for the family, you know. Please do not retaliate. Any information, either call Crime Stoppers or talk to the police department, because I know the family wants justice,” Dent said.
An end to the violence is something Benton's lifelong friend, Mariunn Davis called for.
"we gotta stop the violence for sure, we’re killing eachother, we’re all brothers, we’re all doing the same stuff," Davis told TMJ4. "We’re all trying to get our money, all trying to live our life the same way, it’s like why are we doing this to each other when we should be helping each other build with each other."
Police have not said what led to the shooting and are still searching for whoever was responsible.
Anyone with information can call Milwaukee police at 414-935-7360. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 414-224-TIPS (8477) or through the P3 Tips app.
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