Tracey L. Penix-Howard, a 44-year-old African American woman, was fatally shot on the evening of June 28, 2015, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Her death occurred in the city's Metcalfe Park neighborhood, near the intersection of North 35th Street and West Wright Street. What began as an ordinary Sunday evening outside her home ended in tragedy when gunfire erupted nearby, striking Howard and leaving her critically wounded.
The shooting devastated her family and became another painful reminder of the gun violence affecting Milwaukee neighborhoods.
Shortly before 9:00 p.m., Howard was standing outside her residence when shots were fired in a nearby alley. According to information later provided by neighbors and Milwaukee police, a bullet struck her in the back of the head. The circumstances suggested that the gunfire originated from an incident occurring nearby rather than from an immediately apparent confrontation involving Howard. Emergency responders transported her to a local hospital, where she died from her injuries. Investigators initially could not determine whether Howard had been the intended target or whether she had been caught in gunfire directed at someone else.
Howard's killing was one of several shootings that occurred across Milwaukee during the evening of June 28 and the early morning hours of June 29. Police responded to four separate shooting incidents during that period, resulting in one death and three injuries. Howard was the person who lost her life. Although investigators established the approximate location and circumstances of her shooting, early news reports did not identify the person responsible or establish a motive. The possibility that she had been an unintended victim remained an important unanswered question.
For Howard's family, the loss was deeply personal. Her mother, Ida Penix, had lived in the Metcalfe Park neighborhood for decades and raised her family there. Following the shooting, relatives, friends, and neighbors gathered to mourn Howard and remember her life. A memorial appeared near the location where she was killed, with flowers and other objects placed around a tree. Among the items were a crucifix, a stuffed animal, and a red rose. Her brother, Selvie Penix, later spoke publicly about the difficulty of seeing reminders of his sister's death at the location. While he understood the desire to honor her memory, the memorial also brought back the painful image of seeing her lying on the ground after the shooting.
Friends and relatives remembered Howard as a loving person whose presence had touched many lives. Her obituary, published in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on July 3, 2015, identified her as Tracey L. Penix-Howard. A memorial service was held on July 5, 2015, at Paradise Memorial Funeral and Cremation Services on West Appleton Avenue in Milwaukee. Messages left in her online guest book described a cherished friend and family member with a beautiful smile, a generous spirit, and a personality that remained unforgettable to those who knew her. Some remembered her affectionately by the nickname "Squeaky." Years after her death, loved ones continued leaving messages expressing how much they missed her.
The emotional consequences of Howard's killing extended well beyond the initial investigation. In April 2026, her mother spoke publicly about the enduring grief of losing her eldest daughter. For years after the shooting, Ida Penix avoided walking past the corner of North 35th and West Wright streets because the location brought back painful memories. She recalled that neighbors had cleaned blood from the area before a vigil so she would not have to see it, although she ultimately could not bring herself to attend. She began taking longer routes through the neighborhood to avoid the location. By 2026, the house near which Howard was killed had been demolished, leaving a vacant lot, but the memory of that evening remained.
Despite the passage of time, publicly available reporting has provided few substantial developments concerning the criminal investigation. The original reports did not identify a suspect, describe an established motive, or confirm whether investigators believed the shooting was targeted. Subsequent publicly accessible information reviewed does not establish that anyone was arrested, formally charged, prosecuted, or convicted specifically in connection with Howard's death. No verified suspect identity or court disposition could be located.
More than a decade after the shooting, Howard's death remains a source of grief for her family and those who knew her. Her mother has continued living in the neighborhood where she raised her children, supported by relatives, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and longtime neighbors. Although the physical surroundings have changed, the questions surrounding the gunfire that took Howard's life remain unresolved in the available public record. Her story is not simply that of another Milwaukee homicide victim, but of a daughter, mother, sister, and friend whose life ended unexpectedly outside her home on a summer evening, leaving loved ones searching for answers and remembering the person they lost.
