In the heart of Milwaukee's Riverwest neighborhood, Bernell Trammell, a 60-year-old Black man known for his outspoken nature and eclectic mix of political and religious beliefs, spent the afternoon of July 23, 2020, much like any other day. He was a familiar sight, often positioned outside his small business, eXpressions Journal, engaging with passersby, his handmade signs expressing his support for a range of causes, from Donald Trump to the Black Lives Matter movement.
Trammell was a man who believed in the power of free speech and exercised his right to it openly in his community.
The warm summer afternoon was shattered by the sound of gunfire. While sitting in a chair on the sidewalk, Trammell was ambushed and fatally shot. The brazen act, carried out in broad daylight, sent shockwaves through the neighborhood. Surveillance footage captured a suspect, a man believed to be in his 30s, approximately 6 feet tall and weighing around 200 pounds. The video showed the suspect, clad in a baseball cap and a black and red long-sleeved shirt, riding a bicycle to the scene. Without a word, the assailant approached Trammell from behind and opened fire before fleeing on his bicycle.
In the aftermath of the shooting, the Milwaukee Police Department released images of the suspect to the public, seeking assistance in identifying him. Despite the circulation of these images and a substantial reward offered for information leading to an arrest, the case has grown cold. No arrests have been made, and the identity of the shooter remains a mystery. The motive behind the killing is officially undetermined, but many in the community, including friends and political figures, have speculated that Trammell's murder was politically motivated, a direct result of his vocal support for then-President Donald Trump. This belief prompted calls for a federal investigation into his death. To this day, the murder of Bernell Trammell remains an unsolved crime, leaving a void in a community that had grown accustomed to his daily presence and unwavering exercise of his First Amendment rights.
