On the afternoon of August 27, 2021, a 19-year-old Black/African American male named Omar Slaten was fatally shot in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His mother had sent him a text message that afternoon, and when he didn't reply, she wasn't immediately alarmed as this was not unusual for him. However, a short time later, she received a devastating phone call from another one of her children, informing her that Omar had been shot.
He was discovered inside a parked car near North 40th Street and
West Silver Spring Drive. The vehicle was parked outside of his sister's home on the north side of the city. Slaten had recently graduated from high school and was anticipating the birth of his child. His family believes he was the victim of a random act of violence, stating that he was not involved in street life.
The death of Omar Slaten occurred during a period of significantly increasing homicides in Milwaukee. In the year of his death, the city was on pace to surpass the record number of homicides from the previous year. Authorities have not made any arrests in connection with the shooting, and no suspects have been publicly identified. The case remains an unsolved homicide, leaving his family waiting for justice.
