MILWAUKEE — Christmastime brings Shannon Allen so much grief.
Her son, Deandre Allen, was shot and killed the day after Christmas four years ago.
Allen tried to hold back tears as a couple dozen family, friends and strangers gathered to memorialize her son Saturday afternoon. They lit candles, laid out signs, prayed and sang.
Milwaukee Police say Deandre Allen was shot and killed near 39th and Michigan Streets on Dec. 26, 2016.
Allen says she was on the phone with her son at 1:25 p.m. that day. Nineteen minutes later, someone called 911 about hearing gunshots, and Deandre was found shot in the head. He was 27 years old.
"He did not seem like he was hurting," Shannon Allen said. "He did not seem like he was in harms way."
The case remains unsolved. Allen says she calls on the 26th day of every month to check on the status, and she claims she hasn't heard from investigators in five months.
Milwaukee Police had not yet responded to our request for comment at the time this article was published.
"You all told me that my child was killed for what he knew and nothing he did," Shannon Allen said. "I deserve that much as a mother, I deserve that much."
Deandre was a father and leaves behind six kids. Some of them stood by their grandmother as she released balloons not only in her son's honor, but in honor of all homicide victims in Milwaukee.
Allen said she isn't giving up until she gets justice.
"What did he know that cost him his life?" Allen said. "And if you can tell me he was killed for what he knew, you can tell me who killed him."
