In the winter of 2020, a young Black/African American man's life was cut short in Madison, Wisconsin. Antonio R. Stidhum, a 20-year-old male from Chicago, was visiting an apartment on the first floor of a building in the 1900 block of McKenna Boulevard on the afternoon of Saturday, January 18th. Around 2:30 p.m., the sound of gunshots broke the quiet of the neighborhood.
When Madison Police and Fire departments were dispatched to the scene for a weapons offense, they discovered a grim situation inside one of the apartments.
Upon entry, officers found evidence of the shooting and Antonio Stidhum, who had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Despite the efforts of emergency responders, he did not survive. Investigators believe that this was not a random act of violence, but rather that Antonio was specifically targeted. There were no signs of forced entry into the apartment, suggesting that the perpetrator may have been known to the occupants or gained access without resistance. When the police arrived, it appeared that other people who had been in the apartment had recently fled the scene. The primary tenant of the apartment, a woman, was reported to have been cooperating with the police investigation.
In the days and weeks that followed, the Violent Crime Unit of the Madison Police Department took the lead on the homicide investigation. The Dane County Medical Examiner's Office officially identified Antonio Stidhum and confirmed the cause of his death. However, the investigation into who was responsible for his death proved to be challenging. As of early 2021, a year after the fatal shooting, no arrests had been made, and no suspects had been publicly identified. The Madison Police Department has continued to ask for the public's help, urging anyone with information regarding the case to come forward and contact Madison Area Crime Stoppers. The investigation into the death of Antonio R. Stidhum remains active and ongoing.
