MILWAUKEE — Friends and family grieved the loss of Rosalind ‘Roz’ Rogers on Thursday afternoon at the corner of N. Teutonia Ave. and W. Villard Ave.
The 23-year-old was shot and killed early Thursday morning near the McDonald's.
Her sister, Aaliyah Rogers, told TMJ4 that it’d be hard to sum up her sister in 60 seconds due to the impact that Roz had on the community.
Friends and family said she had a big heart and cared for everyone, no matter what.
“She gave a kid the shoes off her feet and the shirt off her back, and I’m not lying. I can’t make this up,” said Aaliyah. “I watched her do it.”
Roz not only mentored but also looked out for Aaliyah. She was also a mentor to at-risk kids and adults through the organization Breaking Barriers Mentoring, Inc.
“Roz was everything, man,” said Executive Director Minister Caliph Muab-El. “She was great with the children. She was great with the youth. She just had a heart for the people.”
She also had a heart for people and a passion for social justice.
“She was more than just an activist; she was a humanitarian, and in her humanitarianism, she wanted freedom, justice, and equal rights for everyone,” said Muab-El.
Roz would help at food pantries, bookbag giveaways, social justice rallies, and community events. She also supported the family of Sade Robinson as they continued to grieve over her death.
“She was going to do a lot of great things in the community,” said her cousin, Sedan Smith.
Smith also tells TMJ4 that she loved caring for dogs.
“She had finally found her passion in life, which was breeding dogs,” said Smith. “She had licensing for breeding dogs. She wanted to teach kids how to take care of animals properly. She wanted to control the breeding population in a way where she knew she could provide homes for dogs that would be safe.”
Now, Roz’s family will look for justice.
“Whoever did it hurt the city,” said Aaliyah. “They didn’t hurt just one person. She didn’t have just a family. She had a community behind her that cared about her, deeply.”
TMJ4 obtained video of family and friends finding a gun at the McDonalds after police had searched the area. Smith tells TMJ4 that it was Roz’s mother who discovered the gun. It was not confirmed whether the weapon was used in the shooting.
Milwaukee Police continue to investigate the shooting. Smith tells TMJ4 that the family is doing their own investigation as well.
“I’m just asking everybody in the community to stand up and understand that what the police won’t do, we will do,” said Smith. “We protect and serve our own community.”
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