After another violent weekend in Milwaukee, new details have emerged about who was killed.
The Medical Examiner provided information on four of the six homicides and Milwaukee Police provided details on all six incidents.
Jameal Lee Verlin, 24, Joanna Morrison, 31, Dedrick Cross, 26 and Naurice Fitzgerald, 27, were all identified by the Medical Examiner's Office Tuesday.
"It just seems like I need to wake up," Antwona Burse, Fitzgerald's fiancé said. "I haven't slept in two days."
According to police, Fitzgerald was killed Sunday morning near 53rd and Villard Avenue around 8:30 a.m. while sitting in his car. Three balloons and some candles sit there now, serving as a memorial to the life Fitzgerald lived. A life that included three children with Burse.
"How am I going to explain that to babies?" Burse said. "Growing up, how am I going to explain this to my kids?"
Those three children will be without an excellent father, according to Burse. She says he was a compassionate man who cared for everyone he met. So while this loss is immeasurable for her family, she says the community in Milwaukee will be hit hard as well.
"We got to stop this y'all," Burse said. "We have to stop this."
Burse represents one of six families who are feeling this way today. It's part of a larger problem facing the City of Milwaukee. After setting records for homicides in 2020 and 2021, the city is well on its way to shattering that record for a third straight year.
As of Tuesday, 170 people have been killed in the city; 32 more than at the same point last year. That's a 23.2 percent increase, year over year.
Burse hopes people can understand, this isn't just a statistic to her. Naurice represents love, just as the other 169 people killed had an impact on someone's life.
"It's hard out here," Burse said. "Milwaukee streets, it's not safe. It's scary now. You got to watch your back."
Fitzgerald wasn't just a kind person to people he met. He was working to make an impact in the community. Jay Holmes, founder of Market Boxx, says Fitzgerald was a tremendous help in his company's efforts to provide fresh food alternatives to people in need.
"I think life has gotten too cheap," Holmes said. "We don't value each other enough."
So this life lost is taking a toll emotionally on Holmes, but also physically for the people they serve.
"I think we'll suffer in the future for not having him and other people like him available for us," Holmes said. "The program we put together, we really want to save lives. We want to bring value to your life. I think they took that away from us with him."
Milwaukee Police provided information on all six homicides over the weekend.
On Friday just before 12:30 p.m., Milwaukee Police say a fatal and non-fatal shooting occurred near the 800 block of W. Atkinson. Jameal Lee Verlin, 24, sustained fatal gunshot injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. The other victim, a 25-year-old male, sustained serious gunshot injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment. Police are investigating the circumstances leading up to this incident.
Early Saturday morning, Joanna Morrison, 31, was shot near the 3700 block of W. Galena Street. Milwaukee Police say the investigation is ongoing and are seeking unknown suspect(s).
Later Saturday morning, an unidentified 31-year-old woman was shot at 9:18 a.m. in the 2900 block of North 48th Street. Police say this was the result of a domestic dispute and a 28-year-old man was arrested.
Saturday night, an unknown female victim was found dead near Palmer and Keefe. Milwaukee Police say they are investigating this as a suspicious death and the investigation is ongoing. The Medical Examiner’s autopsy declared this a homicide.
Sunday morning, in the 4300 block of N. 15th Street, Dedrick Cross, 26, was killed. Police are seeking unknown suspects.
Then, later Sunday morning, Naurice Fitzgerald, 27, was shot inside his vehicle near the 5300 block of W. Villard Avenue. He was transported to a local hospital but died from his injuries. Police are investigating the circumstances leading up to this incident.
Anyone with information about any of these homicides are asked to call 414-935-7360 or, to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 414-224-TIPS.
