VILLAGE OF SOMERS — The three victims killed in a deadly shooting at a bar in Somers early Sunday morning have been identified. Law enforcement officials also identified the suspect Monday afternoon.
The victims were identified as 24-year-old Cedric Gaston of Kenosha, 22-year-old Kevin Donaldson of Kenosha, and 26-year-old Atkeen Stevenson of Kenosha. Three other people were injured in the shooting, and were identified by law enforcement as:
- A 26-year-old male, resident of Kenosha
- A 22-year-old male, resident of Wonder Lake, IL
- A 23-year-old male, resident of Wonder Lake, IL
The suspect, identified by law enforcement as 24-year-old Rakayo Alandis Vinson, is in custody and charged in connection to the shooting.
Vinson is currently being held at the Kenosha County Jail.
The shooting happened at around 12:42 a.m. Sunday at The Somers House Tavern in Somers outside Kenosha. Law enforcement officials said Vinson suffered facial injuries during an "altercation" at the bar. He left the bar and returned with a gun, and targeted the three victims.
Kimberly Smith is a childhood friends with Gaston and Donaldson and shared this with us about both men.
Both of these men loved and supported everyone. They were not some "thugs" that got in a bar fight. They were good men. They were friends to everyone and both them had the biggest hearts and loved and accepted anyone no matter your background.
At a press conference on Monday, Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth said two of the victims died in the bar. The third was shot outside the bar, just across the street. That person appears to have gotten into a car, where the occupants of the car drove a couple of blocks and flagged down law enforcement. That victim then passed away from injuries suffered in the shooting, Beth said.
"Something like 40 mass shootings in this country in the last month, and to think that Kenosha is part of something so tragic - it just breaks your heart. But we are doing our best to resolve this," Sheriff Beth said.
Three other people were shot and injured in the shooting, Beth said.
"I've been told that we don't believe that these three people who were injured were actually intended to be shot. It was a part of what occurred as bullets were flying," the sheriff said.
Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley said Monday that following the shooting, Vinson left the bar, stole a car from a family member in Mount Pleasant and then returned the car to the family member a short time later.
Police arrived at the family member's home and arrested Vinson, after the family member called 911.
Beth said investigators are still piecing together surveillance video from the scene of the shooting. Over 200 pieces of evidence are being analyzed. It remains an active investigation. A number of agencies were involved in the manhunt and investigation, including the Wisconsin Department of Justice's DCI unit and the Wisconsin State Patrol.
As authorities piece together all the evidence, those who were inside the bar are still trying to grapple with what happened.
"Life is precious. It's taught me something there's so maybe ways you can lose your life," Corey Williams said.
Williams said he goes to the bar often and while his last visit was unimaginable, he is walking way with his life and learning lesson.
"For me, this has taught me a lesson about god and the ways he works," Williams said. "See, I could have been outside doing anything and I could have been killed myself."
Vinson is charged with one count of first-degree intentional homicide with additional criminal charges to follow pending further investigation. His bond was set at $4 million on Monday.
Anyone that may have witnessed this incident or has any information regarding this investigation is asked to contact the Sheriff's Department at (262) 605- 5100 or anonymously to Kenosha Area Crime Stoppers (262) 656-7333.
According to data from the Gun Violence Archive over the last six years, mass shootings have skyrocketed in 2021.
