In a tragic turn of events stemming from a violent crime, 21-year-old African-American male Lorenzo Whitaker of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was killed on Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 2013. His death was not at the hands of a rival or a stranger, but seemingly by an errant bullet from one of his accomplices during an act of retribution. The series of events that led to Whitaker's demise began with a home invasion and armed robbery just days earlier.
On November 23, 2013, Lorenzo Whitaker, his
18-year-old brother Dion A. Neal, and a third man, all armed with handguns, forced their way into a home, stealing a computer and jewelry. Before leaving, Neal issued a chilling threat to the victim, warning that if the crime were reported to the police and his name mentioned, he would return to kill the victim and their son. The victim, however, did report the robbery to the authorities.
True to the threat of retaliation, Whitaker, Neal, and the third man returned to the victim's residence in the 5100 block of N. Sherman Blvd. shortly before midnight on November 28th. The trio opened fire on the back of the house. In the chaos of their own assault, while positioned behind Neal and Whitaker, the third shooter apparently fired the fatal shot that struck Lorenzo Whitaker in the back and left arm. No one inside the home was injured during the shooting.
Following the shooting, Dion Neal and two unidentified men rushed Whitaker to a local hospital. They dropped him off at the emergency room and fled. Whitaker was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival. An autopsy later confirmed he died from two gunshot wounds. Police were able to connect Neal to the incident after a security guard at the hospital took down a phone number for one of the men who dropped Whitaker off; Neal answered when the number was called. Dion A. Neal was subsequently arrested and charged with armed robbery and first-degree recklessly endangering safety. He was not charged in his brother's death. Neal later pleaded guilty to the armed robbery charge and was sentenced to five years in prison and seven years of extended supervision. The third individual involved in the shooting was not immediately identified.
