A father of two is gunned down Abraham Assana, 42, a Black male from Milwaukee, stepped outside Club Timbuktu near North Holton and East Center Streets on the night of June 30, 2012. According to police, two men confronted him and ordered him to empty his pockets and hand over everything, even his shoes. After he complied and removed his shoes, he was shot. Bleeding and desperate, he ran back toward the club for help and collapsed in a patron's arms; he later died.
Detectives labeled the case a robbery that turned deadly, and within months they released images of a person of interest recorded at Judy's Red Hots on West Lisbon Avenue roughly two hours after the killing. The individual was described as a young Black man, about six feet tall with a thin build, seen wearing a white T-shirt with a front design, blue jeans, and possibly red tennis shoes. Police asked anyone who recognized him to come forward, and Assana's family offered a reward, hoping a tip might name the men who demanded his wallet and shoes before taking his life.
Years passed without closure. A decade later, coverage of a remembrance gathering for Assana reiterated that no arrests had been made and noted that surveillance photos showed men who later used his credit cards, yet the investigation still lacked the break that could identify the shooters. The cold case remained open as loved ones and detectives continued to seek answers for the man who was killed outside the Riverwest club that summer night.
