On the evening of April 3, 2018, the Minneapolis community lost a voice for justice when Tyrone Rashad Williams, a 33-year-old Black/African American man, was shot and killed. The incident occurred just after 6 p.m. near the intersection of 8th Avenue North and Elwood Avenue North, only steps away from his mother's front door. When police officers arrived at the scene, they discovered Williams on the sidewalk with a gunshot wound.
He was rushed to Hennepin County Medical Center, but succumbed to his injuries shortly after arrival. His sister, Raeisha, tragically witnessed her brother's final moments.
Tyrone was a beloved father of four and a well-known community activist, deeply involved in social justice causes. He was a prominent figure in the Black Lives Matter movement and had been a vocal advocate for justice in the police killings of Jamar Clark and Philando Castile. His activism extended to supporting Native American rights at the Standing Rock Reservation protests. Williams was also an entrepreneur, having founded a clothing line called Black Coalition. His family and friends remembered him as a "freedom fighter" and a "frontline warrior" who was dedicated to his community and loved by many.
The investigation into Williams' death led police to identify 27-year-old Sid Brady Strickland-Green as a suspect. According to the criminal complaint, Williams and Strickland-Green were seen arguing shortly before the shooting. A witness reported that Strickland-Green called Williams over, and the two began to argue. Another witness, who was asked to mediate the dispute, refused and left the scene. Shortly after, Williams was shot. About 30 minutes after the shooting, Strickland-Green allegedly called a witness, admitted to the shooting, and asked if Williams was still alive.
An arrest warrant was issued for Strickland-Green in May 2018, and a reward was offered for information leading to his capture. He was arrested in June 2018 and charged in connection with Williams' murder. The motive for the shooting was believed to be related to an ongoing dispute over the eviction of a friend of Strickland-Green from a duplex shared with Williams. In January 2019, a Hennepin County jury found Sid Brady Strickland-Green guilty of second-degree unintentional murder in the death of Tyrone Rashad Williams. He was acquitted of the more serious charge of second-degree intentional murder.
