Lonnie Montgomery, a 39-year-old Black/African American man, was killed during the early morning hours of August 25, 2025, in Milwaukee. Montgomery was behind the wheel of a vehicle near North 12th Street and West North Avenue when gunfire suddenly erupted at approximately 2:45 a.m. Milwaukee police said someone fired into his vehicle, striking him. After being shot, Montgomery lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a nearby sign.
He died from the gunshot wounds he suffered in the attack.
The shooting appeared to come without any publicly reported warning or confrontation. Authorities did not release information indicating that Montgomery had been involved in an argument immediately before the gunfire, nor did investigators publicly identify a motive. The circumstances left his family and friends struggling to understand why someone would shoot him while he was sitting in his vehicle. Montgomery's girlfriend, Beatrice Williams, described the killing as senseless and remembered him as someone who cared deeply about loving other people and being loved in return.
Those close to Montgomery said he had been preparing to work as a rideshare driver when he was killed. His death came at an especially painful moment for his family. His son's first birthday was only two days away, and Montgomery himself was approaching his 40th birthday. Friends said he loved spending time with his son, nieces and nephews, enjoyed poetry, and was particularly fond of playing Spades. Twanda Patin, a close friend, remembered him as a calming presence and a "voice of reason." She and Montgomery had also been working together on a book about love, a project she said she intended to finish in his memory.
Montgomery's mother, Virginia Pierce, publicly appealed for anyone who knew what happened to contact police. Family members and friends believed there were people who might have information about the shooting, particularly because social-media recordings captured portions of the aftermath. Their hope was that witnesses, nearby residents, or anyone who knew what led to the gunfire would provide investigators with information capable of identifying the person responsible.
Milwaukee police continued investigating the killing and reported that they were searching for an unknown suspect or suspects. Public reporting did not identify a specific gunman, provide a description of a suspect, or disclose a confirmed motive for Montgomery's death. Searches of subsequent publicly available reporting also did not reveal an announced arrest, criminal charge, trial, or conviction connected to his killing. The case therefore remained publicly unresolved in the available reporting, with investigators continuing to seek information that could identify whoever fired into Montgomery's vehicle and killed him.
