Giovanni McVicker, a 33-year-old Black/African American man, was killed on the night of March 9, 2026, during a violent confrontation outside an apartment building on Milwaukee’s north side. McVicker was with his girlfriend, Maya Tolbert, when gunfire erupted in the 6800 block of North Darien Street near West Green Tree Road. Tolbert was pregnant at the time. Milwaukee police officers who were nearby heard an estimated 20 to 30 gunshots shortly before 10:30 p.m.
and were directed to the apartment complex, where they found McVicker and Tolbert lying outside near the street. Officers attempted lifesaving measures, but both died at the scene. Tolbert’s unborn child also died.
Relatives said the events leading to the shooting began with a seemingly ordinary dispute between neighbors over loud music. According to McVicker’s family, he asked a neighbor to lower the music because it was late on a weeknight and his children needed to sleep before school. Prosecutors later identified that neighbor as Tyrese Allen. The criminal complaint described an ongoing dispute between Allen and McVicker that eventually moved outside the apartment building, where several people became involved. A physical altercation developed between two women, one identified in reporting as Tolbert’s sister and the other as the mother of Allen’s child. Surveillance footage reportedly showed Allen moving toward the fight and appearing as though he was about to strike Tolbert’s sister. McVicker then stepped toward Allen with his arm extended, apparently attempting to intervene.
According to investigators, McVicker and Allen were standing face-to-face when Allen suddenly raised his arm and began firing. McVicker ran toward the street, but prosecutors said Allen chased after him while continuing to shoot. Surveillance footage showed McVicker falling in the roadway as the gunfire continued. One witness told police that McVicker had drawn a pistol and fired first, with Allen returning fire, but investigators said the surveillance recording did not support that version of events. The complaint stated that the video did not appear to show McVicker raising his weapon, pointing it at Allen, or firing it. Investigators said Allen was the only person visible on the recording firing a gun.
The attack continued after McVicker fell. Prosecutors alleged that Allen approached him and struck him before turning toward Tolbert, who had attempted to intervene. Allen allegedly shot Tolbert, returned to McVicker and fired additional rounds at him while he was down, and then fired at Tolbert again when she attempted to get back up. Investigators also alleged that Allen fired in the direction of Tolbert’s sister as she fled toward the building. At some point during the confrontation, Allen allegedly picked up an object investigators believed was McVicker’s firearm. An autopsy determined that McVicker suffered 31 gunshot wounds as well as additional graze wounds, with bullets causing extensive injuries to multiple vital organs. Tolbert suffered eight gunshot wounds, and the death of her unborn child was attributed to complications resulting from her death.
Police recovered 41 spent 9mm cartridge casings from the scene, along with unfired ammunition, two loaded Glock magazines bearing blood stains, clothing and an iPhone. When officers arrived, witnesses reportedly directed them toward the apartment building where the shooter had gone. Allen soon emerged shirtless from the building and appeared to be surrendering. According to the criminal complaint, he told officers that he was the person who had shot the victims and indicated that there were guns upstairs. During a later interview after being advised of his rights, Allen acknowledged his involvement and told detectives that problems between him and McVicker had existed before that night. Allen said he believed McVicker was trying to shoot him, although investigators said the surveillance evidence did not show McVicker firing.
Allen was taken into custody and charged in Milwaukee County with two counts of first-degree intentional homicide in the deaths of McVicker and Tolbert and one count of first-degree intentional homicide of an unborn child. Dangerous-weapon enhancements were attached to the homicide counts. At his initial court appearance on March 15, a court commissioner ordered him held on $500,000 cash bail. Each first-degree intentional homicide charge carries the possibility of a mandatory life sentence upon conviction, with the weapon enhancements potentially adding additional prison time. The most recent online reporting located for the case continued to describe Allen as charged and awaiting resolution; no confirmed trial verdict or conviction was reported in those sources.
McVicker’s death left a family grieving not only for him but also for Tolbert and the child they had been expecting. Family members described him as a devoted father who loved his children, enjoyed dancing and making people laugh, and had plans for his family’s future, including hopes of purchasing a home. Memorials appeared near the apartment complex in the days following the shooting, including flowers, candles and a tribute spelling out “GIO.” What relatives described as a request to quiet music so children could sleep had ended with three lives lost and a neighbor facing some of Wisconsin’s most serious homicide charges.
