On a cold Milwaukee evening on December 21, 2019, Antwon Gibson, a 34-year-old Black / African American man, met with another individual near the bustling area of Farwell and Brady Street. The encounter, which took place shortly before 10 p.m., was arranged for what was supposed to be a marijuana transaction. Gibson, a father of five, was remembered by his family as an amazing person and a great provider who would give you the shirt off his back.
That night, however, a dispute over the price of the planned purchase would end in tragedy.
The sharp sound of five to seven gunshots suddenly cut through the night, startling a witness who was outside a nearby restaurant. When the noise subsided, police were dispatched to investigate a shooting call. They arrived to find Antwon Gibson suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Despite efforts to save him, he was pronounced deceased at the scene. In the immediate aftermath, a witness ran to Gibson and saw another man going through his pockets. This individual reportedly removed a black firearm and a cellphone, placed the phone on Gibson's chest stating, "This is his phone," and then fled in a car.
The investigation into the homicide quickly focused on identifying who Gibson was meeting that night. Detectives examined the victim's phone records, which led them to a number that had called him just before he was killed. The number was linked to 23-year-old Timothy Alexander. When detectives interviewed Alexander a month later, he claimed the incident was a matter of self-defense. He admitted to arranging a purchase of a larger amount of marijuana than usual from Gibson but said the agreed-upon price was changed when they met.
According to Alexander, he feared for his life during the encounter. He told investigators that he believed Gibson was acting as if he had a gun and was afraid of being shot. He stated that when he saw Gibson reaching, he thought to himself that he could not get killed. Alexander admitted he did not intend to kill Gibson but did intend to shoot him. After firing his weapon, he ran, paused, and fired again toward Gibson's car. He also told detectives that he did not know if Gibson actually had a gun or was just pretending to have one.
Timothy Alexander was arrested and charged with first-degree reckless homicide. In 2021, a jury found him guilty of killing Antwon Gibson. He was subsequently sentenced to 17 years in prison, to be followed by seven years of extended supervision. The violent end to a transaction left a family grieving, with Gibson's mother expressing that the worst call she ever received was the one that informed her of her son's death just days before Christmas.
