On a tragic Saturday afternoon, May 7, 2022, the life of 15-year-old William Harrison Jr., a Black/African American male, was cut short in a burst of gunfire inside a McDonald's restaurant at 49th and Hampton Avenue in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The incident, which also claimed the life of 16-year-old Javarius D. Fowler and injured a 14-year-old boy, unfolded from an argument that quickly and violently escalated.
Surveillance footage from within the restaurant captured the grim sequence of
events. Fowler was seated with three other teenagers when another group of three, including 14-year-old Robert D. Johnson, entered. Johnson approached Fowler, and after a brief interaction, a firearm was produced. Fowler pushed the weapon away before drawing his own, leading to an exchange of gunfire that proved fatal for Harrison and Fowler. Harrison was struck in the head and succumbed to his injuries at a hospital two days later. Johnson was also wounded in the shooting.
In the aftermath of the deadly encounter, Robert D. Johnson was taken into custody. Despite his age, he was charged as an adult with first-degree reckless homicide. The legal proceedings revealed that the altercation was the result of an argument, though the specifics of the dispute were not detailed in court documents. It was noted that all three teenagers involved in the shooting were armed. Johnson ultimately pleaded guilty to the charges.
For his role in the deaths of William Harrison Jr. and Javarius D. Fowler, Robert D. Johnson was sentenced to 13 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of extended supervision. During his sentencing, Johnson expressed remorse for his actions, offering an apology to the families of the victims.
