OUTAGAMIE COUNTY, Wis. — An Outagamie County family is searching for answers after their son was shot and killed on Milwaukee’s northwest side.
Milwaukee police say Cory Fritz was shot and killed near 43rd Street and Good Hope Road.
"Who could've done this? And now, knowing, you know, we just want justice for him. I just wish we had some answers," Fritz's mother, Cheryl Hartjes, said.
Family members said Fritz was visiting friends in Milwaukee last week.
His parents, who live in Outagamie County, Wisconsin, said they got a call from paramedics Monday, March 3, that Fritz was on the way to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. When they got to Milwaukee, they were told he had a "non-survivable" gunshot wound to the head.
Watch: Family seeking answers after son was shot and killed in Milwaukee
TMJ4 reporter Jenna Rae spent the afternoon talking with Fritz's family.
From bookmarks to Halloween costumes to handwritten notes, Fritz's family's kitchen is covered in memories.
"I mean, he made friends everywhere he went. It seems like he could sit there and have a conversation with somebody and just—like that—instant friends," Fritz's sister, Deanna Van Thiel, said.
"He had a smile that was contagious, and his laugh—everybody always mentions his laugh. He just had the best laugh. Everywhere he went, he just brought joy. He would always put others before himself," Fritz's mother added.
Fritz grew up in Kimberly, Wisconsin, near Appleton. He was the oldest of three kids and a two-time Kimberly High School football state champion.
His life revolved around Star Wars, Legos, and his two dogs, Panda and Cooper.
"Dealing with grief on top of all these unanswered questions and just not knowing—it adds an extra heartache to it that's just hard to process," Van Thiel explained.
Last week, Van Thiel posted on Facebook asking anyone with information about Fritz's death to come forward. The post has more than 150 comments and 200 shares.
"The amount of people that have reached out—I mean, it is just phenomenal. Even his friends that I don't know that well," Hartjes said. "It gives me a little solace in this horrible nightmare that we're going through, knowing that there are so many people out there supporting us and trying to help us find out what happened."
Despite the loss, Fritz's last moments on earth were spent helping and supporting others.
"He wanted to be able to donate his organs. Even going through the toughest time, the worst moment of his life, he was still giving everything he could to others," Van Thiel said.
Milwaukee police said they're investigating Fritz's death as a homicide. They don't have anyone in custody and are asking people with information to call MPD at 414-935-7360.
To remain anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers at 414-224-TIPS.
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