In the early hours of a Saturday morning in Racine, Wisconsin, the life of 21-year-old Dulonden E. Ratliff was cut short. On March 29, 2014, officers responded to the area of 3rd and Main Street just after 1 a.m. to find Ratliff lying in the street with a gunshot wound. He was rushed to Wheaton Franciscan Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Ratliff, a resident of nearby Kenosha, was a talented hairstylist and barber who was known for his love of dancing, singing, and rapping.
The investigation into the shooting quickly pointed to a suspect. Witnesses at the scene helped police identify 23-year-old Christopher Brown as the shooter. The incident reportedly stemmed from an altercation that escalated into a fight between two groups. Two days after the fatal shooting, on March 31, 2014, Brown was taken into custody at a Subway restaurant where he worked. He admitted to being involved in the altercation and to pulling out a handgun. According to the criminal complaint, Brown claimed that as he was waving the firearm in the air, it discharged. He also told investigators that he sold the gun the day after the shooting.
Initially, Christopher Brown was charged with first-degree reckless homicide and two counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety. Following his arrest, the case proceeded through the legal system. In May 2016, a jury found Brown guilty of lesser charges: one count of second-degree reckless homicide with the use of a dangerous weapon and one count of second-degree recklessly endangering safety with the use of a dangerous weapon. He was sentenced in August of that year.
