Ronnel Cedric Lamar Smith was a 12-year-old Black male from West Allis, Wisconsin, remembered by loved ones as goofy, fun, laid back, loving, and the life of the party. He was just one week shy of his 13th birthday when his life was cut short.
On the night of Saturday, February 25, 2023, Ronnel attended a 17-year-old girl's birthday party. The event was being held in an upstairs hall at the Bug N Out Lounge, a tavern located near the intersection of 56th Street and Lincoln Avenue in West
Allis.
Shortly after 9:00 p.m., while the party was underway, gunfire erupted inside the venue. West Allis police received several calls reporting the shots and responded to a chaotic scene. A neighbor’s surveillance camera captured footage of dozens of young people fleeing from the lounge in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.
Inside, officers found two individuals who had been struck by gunfire. Ronnel Smith had been fatally wounded and was pronounced dead at the scene. A second victim, a 17-year-old boy, was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment and was expected to survive his injuries.
According to Ronnel's grandmother, Keda Sisson, her grandson had been bullied on social media by other teenagers who were attempting to steal his prescription glasses. She stated that a fight broke out at the party just before the shots were fired. The West Allis Police Department launched a homicide investigation. As of late February 2023, authorities were still searching for the suspect. The case remains unsolved.
