Donell Jones, a 17-year-old Black/African American male, was fatally shot during the early morning hours of Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025, after attending a party on Milwaukee’s north side. The shooting occurred shortly after 3:00 a.m. near North 23rd Street and West Townsend Street. Jones had gone to the gathering with friends and was among people leaving the party when gunfire erupted. Another person was also wounded in the shooting but survived.
Jones was taken to a hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Jones was a senior at Milwaukee Lutheran High School and a running back on the school’s football team. He was only weeks away from graduation and had already been accepted to Northern Illinois University, where he planned to study medical science. His family said he hoped to become an anesthesiologist and was considering trying out for the university’s football team. He also worked at Metro Market and had been saving money toward a vehicle for college. His mother, Tawanda Staten, said he had simply wanted to attend a party and spend time with friends that night.
Investigators eventually determined that the shooting was connected to an attempted robbery as people were leaving the gathering. According to the criminal complaint, Joseph A. Prado and another person were outside after the party when they noticed someone with whom Prado’s companion had previously had a disagreement. The pair pursued members of a group, and Prado told investigators that they caught up with someone and attempted to rob that person. Prado reportedly admitted pointing a firearm at the victim and demanding property. He told detectives that he then heard gunfire and responded by firing his own weapon multiple times. Authorities said surveillance footage obtained during the investigation was consistent with important portions of Prado’s account.
Police responding to the 3400 block of North 23rd Street found Jones suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. A firearm was reportedly located nearby, although published accounts did not establish that the weapon belonged to Jones. The surviving shooting victim told investigators that people had just begun leaving the party when the shots were fired. What had initially been reported as a case involving an unknown gunman developed into a homicide prosecution after detectives gathered surveillance evidence and interviewed Prado.
The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office charged Prado in May 2025 with felony murder connected to attempted armed robbery, attempted armed robbery, and possession of a firearm by a person previously adjudicated delinquent. A judge set cash bond at $500,000. Jones’ mother expressed relief that investigators had identified and charged someone, while also acknowledging the devastation suffered by both families.
The case ultimately ended without a jury trial because Prado entered guilty pleas in March 2026. By then he was an adult. He pleaded guilty to felony murder involving armed robbery and possession of a firearm by an adjudicated delinquent. On May 29, 2026, a Milwaukee County judge sentenced Prado to a total of 25 years of confinement followed by 20 years of extended supervision. Published sentencing information indicates the individual sentences were structured consecutively, producing an overall sentence totaling 45 years when the incarceration and supervision portions are combined.
Jones’ death came just as he was preparing for graduation and the transition to college. In the days after the shooting, family members, classmates, teammates and school staff gathered at vigils and memorial events to remember him. His teammates described a quiet but dedicated athlete who consistently showed up for workouts and worked toward his goals. Instead of celebrating his graduation and plans for Northern Illinois University, his family was forced to arrange his funeral while following the criminal case that eventually resulted in Prado’s conviction and lengthy sentence.
