On a summer evening in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, what should have been a joyous celebration turned into a scene of tragedy, ending the life of 45-year-old Ulyesses Jarome Turner Jr. The Black / African American man was attending a bachelor party on July 7, 2024, standing as the best man for his friend, when a dispute escalated into fatal violence.
The gathering was taking place near the intersection of North 50th Street and West Vienna Avenue.
An altercation broke out, and in the ensuing chaos, gunshots rang out. When the noise subsided, Turner lay on the ground with two gunshot wounds. He succumbed to his injuries at the scene. Another man, who was the brother of the alleged shooter, was also wounded in the incident but survived.
In the wake of the shooting, police were dispatched to the chaotic scene. Among the crowd, officers noticed a man in a wheelchair, who was later identified as 25-year-old Andre Cross. Though he initially left the scene, authorities quickly identified him as the suspect. Cross was arrested and subsequently charged with first-degree reckless homicide and first-degree reckless injury.
Investigators recovered a Glock 43 9mm handgun from Cross upon his arrest. Ballistic analysis confirmed that the shell casings found at the scene were fired from his weapon. According to the criminal complaint, witnesses reported that Cross fired multiple shots following a confrontation. One witness, the sister of the victim, told detectives that Cross admitted to the shooting, stating, "They upped on me so I popped their. " Cross's cash bond was set at $300,000 during his initial court appearance.
