In the heart of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on October 27, 2014, the life of a 24-year-old Black man, Zachary J. Rainer, was tragically cut short. On that Monday, just before 12:30 p.m., the sound of gunfire pierced the daylight near the intersection of North 12th Street and West Hadley Street. The incident prompted a ShotSpotter alert, which brought Milwaukee police officers to the scene.
There, they found Rainer face down on the curb in front of a house on the southwest corner of the intersection at 2869 North 12th Street.
Responding officers and personnel from the Milwaukee Fire Department attempted life-saving measures, but their efforts were in vain. Zachary Rainer was pronounced dead at the scene, having suffered multiple gunshot wounds. The medical examiner would later confirm that the manner of his death was a homicide. In the immediate aftermath, the police had no suspects in custody and began an investigation into the circumstances that led to the fatal shooting. The case drew considerable attention from the local community and media, shining a spotlight on the persistent issue of gun violence in the city.
The investigation into Zachary Rainer's death was thorough, and as it progressed, several individuals were identified and questioned. Eventually, the focus of the investigation narrowed, leading to the arrest of a suspect. Leequane Anthony McGowan was taken into custody and charged in connection with the shooting. Initially, he faced charges of first-degree reckless homicide with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm by a felon.
The legal proceedings that followed provided a detailed account of the events that transpired on the day of Rainer's death. After McGowan rejected a plea offer, the prosecution amended the charges, elevating the homicide charge to first-degree intentional homicide with a dangerous weapon. During the trial, the jury heard testimony from witnesses and was presented with forensic evidence. Although one witness did not see the shooting, they testified to seeing McGowan running away from where Rainer's body was found. The jury ultimately found Leequane Anthony McGowan guilty of first-degree intentional homicide with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm by a felon. For the homicide, he was sentenced to life in prison, with his eligibility for extended supervision set for July 1, 2065. He received an additional consecutive ten-year sentence for the firearm charge, bringing a measure of closure to the family of Zachary J. Rainer.
