Sunday evening’s stillness over Milwaukee’s Rufus King neighborhood shattered in the span of minutes when the Milwaukee Fire Department was dispatched at 7:34 p.m. to reports of gunfire near 19th and Congress. What unfolded has left a community shaken: two individuals found with fatal gunshot wounds, both pronounced dead at separate nearby locations. One of them, the family-known “Big Dee,” brings a deeply personal face to the tragedy.
Fire-and-police crews arrived on scene within minutes after the call, where the on-duty Battalion Chief confirmed both victims were deceased when responders arrived. Though close in time and place, the two fatal shootings occurred at distinct addresses: the first on the 1900 block of West Congress Street at a reported age of 56, and the second on the 4300 block of North 19th Place near a 21-year-old victim.
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Amid that cold data is a human story: one of the victims identified by family as beloved “Big Dee” — a name carrying warmth and familiarity now marred by loss. The grief ripples across friends, neighbors and community members who knew him. Early in the investigation, police confirmed no arrests have been made and are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.
Neighbors say the block around West Congress had been quiet until that moment. One noted the eerie calm as lights swirled and investigators gathered evidence. For many, the late-fall evening brought routine — until the sirens. Meanwhile, officers canvassed the area around North 19th Place, collecting clues and urging witnesses to speak up. The timing and proximity suggest connection, though detectives have not yet publicly confirmed a direct link between both shootings.
For the victim in his 50s, the life halted mid-stride holds extra sadness: decades lived, relationships built, routines ended without warning. For the 21-year-old, the heartbreak is amplified by youthful promise — a future now abruptly erased. One victim’s alias keystrokes as Big Dee on social media reflect a life of nickname and belonging now turned into a vigil.
Residents voiced frustration over the city’s gun violence rate, calling the shooting a stark reminder of the fragility of life on these blocks. “We wake up and someone’s gone,” one local told reporters. Police remain tight-lipped on motive and suspect description, asking anyone with information to call (414) 935-7360 or anonymously reach out via Crime Stoppers at (414) 224-TIPS.
Tonight, the street corners near 19th and Congress will feel emptier. Friends will recount “last time I saw him,” families will hold onto memories, and the city will await answers. In the meantime, a name — Big Dee — will drift across community phone chains, prayers and posts, a simple reminder that behind the headlines are lives lost and a neighborhood mourning.
