On a summer day in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the life of a 6-year-old African American boy, Justin Evans Jr., was tragically cut short. On July 22, 2017, Justin was at his grandmother's house, filled with the excitement of an upcoming fishing trip to Green Bay with his family. He was getting ready to leave and went to say goodbye to his mother when gunshots rang out in the neighborhood near 23rd and Finn.
In the street, a man named Robert Anderson was yelling for someone to get off his
block. Witnesses saw Anderson, then 35, running down the street firing a handgun. He fired approximately 14 rounds from a 9mm handgun. One of these bullets, a stray, found its way to young Justin, striking him in the heart. He was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation into the senseless killing of an innocent child led police to Robert Anderson. A confidential witness who was present at the scene identified Anderson as the shooter. Though two other men were initially arrested, they were never charged. Anderson was formally charged with the murder of Justin Evans Jr.
Ultimately, Robert Anderson reached a plea deal. In April 2018, he pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree reckless homicide with the use of a dangerous weapon, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Anderson was sentenced in May of that year for the shooting death of Justin Evans Jr.
