On an otherwise quiet Saturday evening in Milwaukee, the life of 31-year-old Travis D. Williams was tragically cut short. On April 30, 2016, Williams was gunned down in the basement of his home near 64th and Bobolink. When police arrived, they found another man desperately trying to save him, holding a bloody towel to his neck. Despite these efforts, Williams had no pulse and was not breathing; he was pronounced dead at the scene.
An autopsy later revealed he had sustained two fatal gunshot wounds.
The events leading up to the shooting began to unfold earlier in the day when friends gathered at the house. Williams' mother told investigators that her son had come over, and shortly after, a friend known as "Drell" arrived. More friends joined them, and the group eventually moved to the basement. It was there that the evening took a violent turn. A man, later identified as 47-year-old Andreal Washington, allegedly stormed into the basement, brandishing a gun.
Witnesses recounted a tense confrontation as the armed man directed his anger toward Williams, making statements like, "I told you I was gonna catch you," and demanding money. As the argument escalated, Washington reportedly threatened to "shoot everyone." When Williams began to walk toward him, a single shot echoed through the basement. Williams, a father of four, collapsed to the floor.
In the aftermath, an investigation quickly pointed to Andreal Washington as the primary suspect. Both a witness and Williams' own mother identified Washington from a photo array. A criminal complaint was filed against him, charging him with one count of first-degree reckless homicide. An arrest warrant for Andreal Washington was issued on May 5, 2016, though he was not immediately in custody. The motive appeared to be related to a debt, turning a friendly gathering into the scene of Milwaukee's 39th homicide of the year.
