On the evening of Thursday, January 21, 2016, a fatal shooting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, claimed the life of Deangelo Tyron Binns, a 30-year-old African-American man. The violence occurred at approximately 8:00 p.m. along North Hopkins Street, between West Fairmount Avenue and West Stark Street, on Milwaukee's north side. Milwaukee police responded to reports of gunfire and discovered that Binns had been shot and killed.
His death prompted an immediate homicide investigation, bringing detectives and medical examiner personnel to the scene.
FOX6 Milwaukee
The Milwaukee Police Department's Homicide Unit took responsibility for investigating the killing, while the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office was dispatched to document the death. Initial news reports provided few details about the circumstances leading up to the shooting. Authorities did not publicly explain whether Binns had been approached by an assailant, whether an argument preceded the gunfire, or whether the shooting had been targeted. Investigators also did not disclose a possible motive, the number of shots fired, or whether witnesses had provided descriptions of anyone involved. At the time of the initial reporting, police had not confirmed whether anyone had been taken into custody.
Known affectionately as "Fella," Binns was remembered by relatives and friends as a loving, caring, thoughtful, and motivated individual. Memorial contributions described him as someone who had worked in several occupations, including as a cab driver, welder, coach, bouncer, and mixologist. Those who knew him remembered his enthusiasm and his willingness to take on different responsibilities. One tribute described him as a leader and role model, while another, written by someone identifying themselves as his sibling, expressed the family's grief and how deeply he was missed. These personal recollections offered a glimpse of the individual behind the homicide investigation and the lasting impact of his death on those closest to him.
Gun Memorial
Despite the homicide investigation, publicly available reporting has provided little information about the person responsible for Binns' death. The original police statements did not identify a suspect or describe the circumstances that led to the gunfire. No subsequent publicly verifiable reports were located identifying an arrest, criminal charges, a trial, or a conviction specifically connected to his killing. Consequently, the available information does not establish whether investigators eventually identified a suspect or developed sufficient evidence to pursue prosecution.
Binns was subsequently included among the 139 homicide victims memorialized in the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission's 2016 annual report, confirming that his death was recognized as part of the city's toll of fatal violence that year. Although the circumstances surrounding his final moments remain largely undocumented in public reporting, his name continues to be remembered through tributes left by family members and friends. His killing remains a case for which the publicly accessible record provides more information about the tragedy itself than about who committed it or why.
City of Milwaukee
