In the late afternoon of August 22, 2019, a dispute escalated into fatal violence, claiming the life of 38-year-old Black / African American male Anthony Moton. The incident, which unfolded near the intersection of 10th and Burleigh in Milwaukee, began not with Moton, but with a relative's argument with another man. When Moton arrived at the scene, the confrontation took a deadly turn as the suspect opened fire, fatally wounding him. Police who were dispatched to the scene around 5:30 p.m.
found Moton, who was pronounced dead from two gunshot wounds to his back.
The investigation into Moton's death quickly led to a suspect, Novel Foster. According to the criminal complaint, the tragic chain of events was set in motion earlier that day when Foster, who was having his car worked on in the neighborhood, was confronted by two women who believed he was looking at them. Despite his attempts to explain he wasn't, the women continued to yell at him, and he warned them to leave, stating, "This is how people get killed." One of the women was Moton's girlfriend, who then called him to the scene.
After Moton arrived, witnesses reported that he and Foster "bumped fists" before the situation escalated. Foster then began shooting toward the vehicle Moton was in while fleeing on foot. Investigators found 15 spent casings in the roadway. Three days later, on August 25, police located and arrested Foster. Upon his arrest, they found 9mm ammunition in his pocket and later recovered two firearms. Foster was subsequently charged with second-degree reckless homicide with the use of a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm by a felon. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
