Anthony James "Tony" Nolden, a 59-year-old Black male, went to his job as a security guard on the morning of July 9, 2022, a job he had held for a long time and reportedly loved. He was a father to a 10-year-old son and a 19-year-old daughter, whose wedding he had attended just the day before his death. His family described him as a superhero and a father figure who was a friendly and welcoming presence to those he encountered.
On that Saturday morning, while working at the El Rey
grocery store on Cesar Chavez Drive in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Nolden was involved in a fatal altercation. The incident began when a man named Luis Lorenzo entered the store carrying a shoulder bag, which was against the store's policy. Nolden attempted to deny him entry, leading to an argument. Feeling the situation escalating, Nolden called his supervisor, Enoch Wilson, for assistance. Before leaving the store, Lorenzo reportedly made aggressive movements toward Nolden. It is believed Nolden then used pepper spray on Lorenzo, who ran out into the parking lot with Nolden following.
In the parking lot, the confrontation intensified. Nolden’s supervisor, Enoch Wilson, arrived and pursued Lorenzo, eventually grabbing him and trying to force him to the ground. As Wilson was holding Lorenzo face down, Lorenzo managed to pull out a gun from his bag and fired a shot upward without looking. That shot struck and fatally wounded Anthony Nolden. Lorenzo then fired at Wilson, but missed. In response, Wilson stood up and fired his own weapon at Lorenzo, killing him.
Following the incident, the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office investigated the double homicide. After reviewing the evidence, they announced that no charges would be filed against Enoch Wilson. The District Attorney's Office concluded that Wilson acted in self-defense and defense of others, stating that he must have reasonably believed there was an "actual or imminent unlawful interference with his person by Lorenzo," which justified the use of deadly force under Wisconsin law. The family of Luis Lorenzo disputed this conclusion, stating that they believed the security guards were the aggressors.
