In the early morning hours of June 13, 2024, a tragedy unfolded in a McDonald's parking lot on the north side of Milwaukee that cut short the life of a promising young community activist. Rosalind Rogers, a 23-year-old Black/African American woman, was fatally shot, leaving a community in mourning and her family searching for answers. Known affectionately as "Roz," she was a passionate and dedicated mentor who worked tirelessly to combat gun violence, the very scourge that would ultimately
claim her life.
The incident occurred near Teutonia and Villard avenues. Surveillance footage from the restaurant captured Rogers walking on Villard when a vehicle pulled up nearby. She then ran into the parking lot, where flashes consistent with muzzle fire were seen coming from the driver's side of the car. Rogers was struck in the head and fell to the ground as the vehicle sped away. The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office pronounced her dead at the scene. In a heart-wrenching turn of events, Rogers' own mother discovered a gun in the bushes near the crime scene hours after the police had conducted their initial investigation.
Investigators quickly launched a homicide investigation. Their attention was drawn to a vehicle that had been seen near the scene of the crime. The car was traced to 43-year-old Raymond Willis. Surveillance video from the night before the shooting showed a man, later identified as Willis, holding a gun next to the same vehicle. When questioned by police, Willis acknowledged that the car in the video looked like his and that he recognized the area.
Raymond Willis was subsequently arrested and charged with first-degree reckless homicide and possession of a firearm by a felon. In October 2024, a jury found him guilty of both charges. The following June, Willis was sentenced to 29 years in prison, followed by nine years of extended supervision. While the legal proceedings brought a conviction, the motive for the senseless killing of a vibrant young woman who had dedicated her life to improving her community remains unclear.
