In the early morning hours of Friday, February 21, 2020, a visit to a gas station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, turned deadly for Montreal L. Pate, a 32-year-old Black / African American man. The incident unfolded at approximately 1:41 a.m. at the Express Gas station situated at the corner of North 36th Street and West Vliet Street. Pate was the passenger in a vehicle parked near the gas pumps, accompanied by a 38-year-old male driver.
Their quiet wait was shattered when an unknown individual
approached their car. A Black male, described by police as wearing a black sweater jacket and blue jeans, entered the vehicle's backseat. Shortly after, gunfire erupted inside the car. The sudden violence left Pate with fatal injuries. His companion, the driver of the vehicle, was also struck by the gunfire but his wounds were not life-threatening.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, the suspect fled the scene, heading northbound on foot. The motive for this brazen act of violence remains unclear. Milwaukee Police responded to the double shooting, launching an investigation into the homicide. They appealed to the public for any information that could lead to the apprehension of the person responsible for Pate's death.
Despite the initial description of the suspect, there have been no subsequent public announcements regarding any arrests made or charges filed in connection with the murder of Montreal Pate. The case remains an open investigation, leaving his family and friends to grieve a life cut short by a senseless act of gun violence.
