On the cold Christmas Eve of 2016, the life of Darryl E. Jones, a 56-year-old Black/African American male, was tragically cut short in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In the early morning hours, at approximately 12:20 a.m., police responded to a ShotSpotter alert in the vicinity of 15th and Concordia. Upon their arrival, they discovered Mr. Jones suffering from several gunshot wounds. Despite the life-saving efforts of citizens and emergency responders, he was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The medical examiner would later confirm that he died from multiple gunshot wounds.
The investigation into the homicide led authorities to a suspect, Jamarr Hicks, then 28 years old. According to the criminal complaint, Hicks had gone to the area with two other individuals with the intention of purchasing cocaine from Jones. A witness reported hearing gunshots and then seeing Hicks run back to their vehicle before they drove away. The witness also stated that Hicks threatened to kill her if she disclosed what had happened.
Another witness provided a chilling account, telling police that Hicks confessed to shooting Jones. According to this witness, Hicks stated that after initially shooting Jones, he saw that he was still alive and able to speak, at which point he shot him several more times. Detectives recovered five spent 9mm cartridge casings from the sidewalk near where Mr. Jones's body was found. Hicks was subsequently arrested and charged with first-degree reckless homicide with the use of a dangerous weapon. His family and friends later gathered to honor his memory with a balloon release at the site of his death, remembering him as a man who cared deeply for his family.
