On February 1, 2019, the life of 47-year-old Ruquinn McCullar, a Black/African American male, was tragically cut short in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. What began as a night out with a longtime friend spiraled into a fatal encounter fueled by paranoia and drug use. The evening saw McCullar and his friend, Byron Artis, visiting the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino and a local bar before heading to a BP gas station.
It was at the gas station, located near 27th and Lisbon, where the night took a
devastating turn. While McCullar went inside to buy cigarettes, Artis remained in their van. According to Artis's later confession to police, he was experiencing intense paranoia after a night of using cocaine with McCullar. When McCullar returned and opened the driver's side door of the van, Artis, in his altered state, failed to recognize his friend. Believing he was about to be robbed, Artis grabbed a gun from the glovebox and fired, striking McCullar in the head.
Surveillance footage from the gas station captured the tragic moment as McCullar immediately fell to the ground. Artis then moved into the driver's seat and fled the scene in the van. Police were dispatched to the gas station shortly after 2 a.m. and found McCullar with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
In the aftermath, Byron Artis was arrested and charged with first-degree reckless homicide. He initially pleaded not guilty but later accepted a plea deal for second-degree reckless homicide. Artis expressed deep remorse for killing his friend, stating that the shooting was an accident caused by his drug-induced paranoia. He told investigators that after the shooting, he drove to McCullar's house, expecting him to be there, and later discarded the gun. Acknowledging his remorse but also considering his prior criminal record, the court sentenced Artis to six years in prison followed by six years of extended supervision.
