In the evening hours of September 24, 2017, a weekend in Milwaukee was marked by violence that claimed the life of 39-year-old Antonio R. Davis, a Black male. The incident that led to his death unfolded around 8:20 p.m. in the vicinity of 39th and Locust. Davis sustained gunshot wounds and was subsequently transported to a local hospital for medical attention.
Despite the efforts of medical personnel, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
The initial investigation into the shooting left Milwaukee police searching for a motive and the individual or individuals responsible for the fatal act. The circumstances surrounding the shooting were not immediately clear in the immediate aftermath. His death was one of several violent incidents that occurred in the city over that weekend, which saw a total of two fatalities and three other individuals wounded in separate shootings.
Following the shooting, the investigation led to the arrests of two individuals in connection with Davis's death. Ebony Ferrell, then 44, faced a charge of conspiracy to commit robbery, while Rayshawn Williams, 27 at the time, was charged with felony murder. According to the criminal complaint, Ferrell played a role in orchestrating a robbery by texting Williams to help set it up. Authorities also discovered through phone records that there had been contact between Williams and Davis. Further implicating Williams, Ferrell reported to police that she had seen him with a significant amount of cash and a bag of illegal drugs the day after the fatal shooting. Following the charges, Williams faced the possibility of up to 55 years in prison if convicted.
