In the early morning hours of August 21, 2017, a night out in downtown Milwaukee turned tragic for 26-year-old Kakuma Kennedy. Kennedy, a male from Champlin, Minnesota, was with friends when a dispute erupted outside Duke's bar, located near the intersection of Water Street and Juneau Avenue. The encounter escalated with shocking suddenness, ending in a hail of gunfire that would cut Kennedy's life short.
The group had only been in the area for a short time before the fatal
confrontation. According to witnesses, a black vehicle pulled up, and an exchange of words ensued. Moments later, shots rang out. Kennedy was struck by three bullets. In the chaotic aftermath, his friends rushed him to a hospital, but his injuries proved to be fatal. Two of his friends, aged 24 and 30, also sustained non-life-threatening gunshot wounds in the incident.
The investigation into Kakuma Kennedy's death led to the arrests of three men: Clarence Shelton, Courvoisier Hills, and Willie Barnes. It was determined that Shelton was the one who fired the fatal shots. During the legal proceedings, Shelton claimed that he had not intended to harm anyone, stating he fired the gun in an attempt to scare Kennedy's group, whom he believed was reaching for a weapon.
Ultimately, Clarence Shelton pleaded guilty to a charge of first-degree reckless homicide. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of extended supervision. His accomplices, Hills and Barnes, both of whom were convicted felons, faced charges related to the illegal possession of a firearm. Willie Barnes received a 12-month sentence, with credit for time already served. The charges against Courvoisier Hills were eventually dismissed.
