On a summer afternoon in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on August 4, 2017, the life of a 26-year-old Black man named Jarome Johnson was tragically cut short. The fatal encounter occurred at the Tastee Twist ice cream stand, a local spot near North and Teutonia. Johnson was shot multiple times, sustaining wounds to his chest and extremities, and was pronounced dead at the scene.
His death was quickly ruled a homicide by investigators.
The events leading to the shooting unfolded as an act of retaliation. Surveillance footage from nearby businesses captured a vehicle entering the parking lot close to the ice cream stand. Two men emerged from the car. One of them approached Johnson and opened fire before both men fled. A witness at the scene was able to provide authorities with a description of the vehicle, a key piece of information that led to a swift arrest.
That same day, police apprehended 32-year-old Otha Brown, who was driving a maroon vehicle matching the witness's description. During questioning, Brown confessed to his involvement. He told investigators he was in the car with two other men when one of them, identified as Tony Powell Jr., spotted Johnson. Powell allegedly believed Johnson was responsible for the death of his friend, "Meechie." Upon seeing Johnson, Powell declared his intention to kill him. Brown then drove to the location where the shooting took place. He stated that he and Powell exited the vehicle together, and Powell was the one who shot Johnson multiple times before they both ran away.
Both Otha Brown and Tony Powell Jr. were subsequently charged with first-degree intentional homicide as a party to a crime. As the case moved through the legal system, it was revealed that both men were also connected to another fatal shooting that had occurred just over a year earlier. In July 2019, a jury convicted Otha Brown for his role in Johnson's death. He was sentenced to life in prison, with the possibility of parole after serving 38 years. The charges against Tony Powell Jr., the alleged shooter, were ultimately dismissed when the state was unable to proceed to trial.
