On a spring evening in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 10-year-old African American Sierra Guyton was simply enjoying a warm day on the playground at Clarke Street Elementary School. It was May 21, 2014, and she was with her older sister, creating a new dance routine. That innocent moment was shattered by the eruption of gunfire, a tragic consequence of a dispute that had nothing to do with her. Sierra was struck in the head by a stray bullet during the crossfire between two men.
She fought for her life for weeks, but ultimately succumbed to her injuries and was taken off life support in July.
The shooting stemmed from an argument over stolen baby clothes. Two men, Sylvester Lewis, 19, and Jamey Jackson, were involved in the shootout near the crowded playground where as many as 50 children were playing. Lewis told investigators that he was confronted by a friend of Jackson's about the clothes. He claimed that Jackson then pulled out a gun and threatened to kill him, firing the first shot. Lewis said he returned fire in self-defense, emptying his own handgun toward Jackson and the playground. In total, 16 shots were fired.
Following the shooting, an investigation led to the arrests of both men. Sylvester Lewis was charged with first-degree reckless homicide for Sierra's death, first-degree recklessly endangering safety for her sister, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. In November 2014, a jury found him guilty on all counts, a decision that took them only 20 minutes to reach. He was later sentenced to 44 years in prison. The other man involved in the shootout, Jamey Jackson, was found guilty of possession of a firearm by a felon and was sentenced to five years in prison.
