Pepe Sikisi-Belle Jr., a 22-year-old Black/African American man, was fatally shot on May 30, 2026, during what was supposed to be a celebration for his child at Center Street Park in Milwaukee. Sikisi-Belle and relatives had gathered at the park for his son’s fourth birthday party when an argument and confrontation erupted. The park, near 64th and Center streets along the Milwaukee-Wauwatosa border, was crowded for what authorities described as a large picnic-style social gathering.
At approximately 6:47 p.m., Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched following reports of gunfire. Sikisi-Belle had suffered at least two gunshot wounds to his upper torso and was pronounced dead at the scene. No one else was reported injured.
The woman accused of firing the shots was identified in later reporting only by the nickname “Gigi,” because prosecutors ultimately did not charge her with a crime. Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office investigative records described her as Sikisi-Belle’s cousin and indicated that the two had a volatile relationship that predated the shooting. Other accounts from Sikisi-Belle’s relatives described her as someone who had known him since childhood and had once been regarded as close to the family. According to the investigative records, family members were aware of previous confrontations between the two, and witnesses described tensions between them during the birthday gathering.
Investigative reports released after the shooting provided a more detailed account of the confrontation. Witnesses reportedly described Sikisi-Belle as agitated during portions of the party. At one point, according to those accounts, Gigi warned him that if he put his hands on her again, she would shoot him. The sheriff’s investigative material stated that Sikisi-Belle subsequently placed her in a chokehold. Gigi told investigators that she fired twice in an effort to free herself. Those statements became central to the self-defense issue prosecutors later considered when deciding whether the shooting could be prosecuted.
Deputies arrested Gigi at the scene, where authorities said she was in possession of two firearms. She was initially arrested on suspicion of first-degree reckless homicide while detectives investigated the circumstances surrounding the gunfire. Sikisi-Belle’s family disputed the suggestion that deadly force was necessary. His mother said the woman could have left the gathering rather than shoot him and alleged that there had been an earlier occasion when the woman displayed firearms during a conflict involving Sikisi-Belle. Relatives also said an argument had occurred immediately before the shooting and maintained that the death could have been avoided.
On June 4, 2026, the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office announced that it would not file criminal charges against the woman. Prosecutors said their review revealed issues involving self-defense and concluded they would not be able to prove a criminal charge beyond a reasonable doubt. As a result, the woman was released from custody. Because no charges were issued, there was no criminal trial or conviction arising from Sikisi-Belle’s death.
The decision deeply angered Sikisi-Belle’s family, which publicly rejected the conclusion that the circumstances justified the shooting. His mother said the family intended to continue seeking accountability and questioned why the woman, who had transportation available, did not simply leave the escalating confrontation. In the days following the killing, relatives and friends gathered at memorial events and a balloon release to remember Sikisi-Belle. Friends associated with S.I.G. Youth Fraternity, where he was known as “House Party,” also held a community memorial. Loved ones remembered him as an energetic presence who cared deeply for his children. The tragedy was especially painful because the gunfire occurred during his son’s birthday celebration, transforming a family gathering into the scene of Sikisi-Belle’s death and leaving his relatives dissatisfied with a case that ended without criminal charges.
