Milwaukee, WI

Fatal shooting outside Milwaukee bar makes some wonder what more business owners can do

Published

2 years ago

January 29, 2024

Fatal shooting outside Milwaukee bar makes some wonder what more business owners can do

A club on Milwaukee’s northwest side, which had its license suspended 20 days last year out of safety concerns, was the scene of shootings early Sunday that killed a security guard and injured two other people.

The incident happened at 1 a.m. Sunday outside the doors of Eve Lounge, 6222 W. Fond du Lac Ave., after several men were asked to leave and security attempted to de-escalate an argument, according to Thomas Holmes, the business owner.

Police said they seek unknown suspects.

The shooting drew comparisons to other incidents in recent years in which a business removed one or more people from its establishment, only for gun violence to erupt outside the doors.

“It’s a terrible situation,” said Ald. Mark Chambers, who represents the area and voted to suspend Eve Lounge’s license last year. “The bar did exactly what it was supposed to do. They ejected the gentlemen out the club.”

The shootings killed 26-year-old Andre A. Gregory of Milwaukee and wounded two 34-year-olds. The conditions of the two who shot and injured were not released.

Holmes said Gregory was hired through a contractor and worked at the club off and on for about a year. According to social media posts from friends, he attended Vincent High School.

His sister, Jamilla Gregory, set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for funeral expenses. She wrote that her brother was “loved by everyone that had the pleasure of knowing him.”

Holmes called Gregory an excellent worker.

“He was a kind, humble person, quiet,” Holmes said. “He did his job. People loved him, customers loved him. He was one of the best security guards that we had — the overall presentation and the way he handled his position.”

Fight escalated after four men left the club, owner says

At one point earlier in the night, Holmes said, three men entered the club and approached another man who was eating food. Holmes thought things looked tense when he noticed finger-pointing and twice asked them to calm down.

The men apologized and everyone eventually moved outside, along with Holmes and Gregory. There, the confrontation escalated when one man swung at another. Holmes said he and Gregory tried to prevent any physical fight.

However, a vehicle pulled up and additional people climbed out.

“Then all we heard was pop-pop-pop,” Holmes said.

He believes Gregory was not the intended target.

“We’re just dealing with it right now,” Holmes said, when asked how the rest of the staff is doing. “It’s a bad situation.”

2023 shooting at Eve Lounge resulted in license suspension

Eve Lounge came under scrutiny last year with the city’s Licenses Committee, which Chambers sits on, but also received support and words of confidence from community members who spoke at the hearing and from Chambers himself.

The main issue during that June hearing was an incident in February 2023, in which an employee shot another man who rented space in the club’s kitchen.

According to police records, none of the other six employees reported the incident to police. And when officers did arrive, employees were cleaning the place and did not appear to be forthcoming about what happened. Holmes was not on site during the incident.

Chambers said during the hearing it seemed as if the staff tried covering up what happened, according to minutes from the meeting.

Holmes said he had since fired everyone involved in the incident, began instituting background checks to all new hires and would install new security cameras and outdoor lighting.

Although he still voted in favor of a 20-day license suspension, Chambers said at the time he considered Holmes a respectable business owner.

On Monday, when asked if he still had confidence in Holmes, Chambers said, “I don’t know,” saying he was awaiting more information about the incident. He also emphasized the need to allow everyone who knew Gregory to grieve.

“Dealing with stuff like licensing can be handled at another time,” he said. “The community will definitely have an input. That establishment lost a family member. A family lost their son, brother, nephew because of it and two other individuals got hurt.”

Alderman is confident that business took steps to improve safety

But Chambers also felt confident that Holmes took action to improve safety at the club since the 2023 shooting. He said Holmes hosted community meetings, maintained communication with city officials and police and installed more lighting and cameras.

Holmes, and Chambers, to a lesser extent, emphasized that sometimes there is only so much a business can do to prevent violence among its patrons.

Chambers compared the incident to one in 2022, where a worker was shot and killed after a man was denied entry to a downtown club, and to a 2023 shooting, where five people were injured outside of a northwest side bar.

“It’s not entirely on the owner,” he said. “People make decisions.”

Holmes argued there are just too many people carrying guns and not enough of them are considering the lives of others.

“It hasn’t just happened in my establishment. It happens everywhere,” he said. “People need to think and start being more respectful of other people and stop this gun violence. It’s out of control. You go up and down the street and I guarantee you it’s eight out of 10 cars that got guns in them. A lot of it is illegal, but that’s just the way things are now.”

How to contact police

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Milwaukee Police at 414-935-7360 or to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 414-224-Tips or use the P3 Tips app.

Where to find conflict mediation and crisis support

414Life outreach and conflict mediation support: 414-439-5398
Milwaukee County’s 24-Hour Mental Health Crisis Line: 414-257-7222
Milwaukee’s Child Mobile Crisis and Trauma Response Team: 414-257-7621
National crisis text line: text HOPELINE to 741741 to text with a trained crisis counselor
National Suicide Prevention Hotline: Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org

Contact Elliot Hughes at elliot.hughes@jrn.com or 414-704-8958. Follow him on X at @elliothughes12.

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Milwaukee, WI

Illegal dumping plagues closed Milwaukee Pick ‘n Save

Published

11 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Illegal dumping plagues closed Milwaukee Pick ‘n Save

Illegal dumping plagues closed Pick ‘n Save

Neighbors say since a Milwaukee Pick ‘n Save at 35th and North closed in 2025, the parking lot has been filling up, but not with cars or people. It has been attracting illegal dumpers.

MILWAUKEE – Neighbors say since the Milwaukee Pick ‘n Save at 35th and North closed in 2025, the parking lot has been filling up, but not with cars or people. It has been attracting illegal dumpers.

Trash piling up

What we know:

There are old mattresses and furniture in the parking lot. There are piles of garbage at the entrance of the old grocery store. Behind the building, there are tires, more mattresses and more trash.

Illegal dumping at former grocery store near 35th and North, Milwaukee

The Pick ‘n Save stores closed in July 2025. Since then, the building has sat empty.

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FOX6 News was contacted by a man who manages senior and family housing in the area. He said in the last couple of months, he has noticed the stile turn into a place for illegal dumping. The man said he was so fed up, he called the office of Milwaukee Alderman Russell Stamper about the problem. The man said the whole site is an eyesore, and something needs to change.

Illegal dumping at former grocery store near 35th and North, Milwaukee

Change sought

What they’re saying:

“As the snow melts, it’s full of garbage. People are dumping furniture on it, tires,” said Jeffrey Sessions, who manages nearby property. “If you drive around it, it’s garbage everywhere. It’s unsightly for the neighborhood, and it’s probably going to create rats and mice problems.”

FOX6 News reached out to the Department of Neighborhood Services. Officials said the dumping has not been reported. They said the department’s commercial team will now be made aware of the issue.

Illegal dumping at former grocery store near 35th and North, Milwaukee

“It makes the whole neighborhood look like garbage, like nobody’s taking care of anything around here,” Sessions said. “It’s a detriment, it’s unsightly, and it needs to be addressed.”

Illegal dumpers could face fines

Dig deeper:

If the dumpers are caught on camera, they could face fines.

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The owner of the property may also be ordered to clean it up.

Illegal dumping at former grocery store near 35th and North, Milwaukee

The Source: Information in this post was provided by a person who owns property near the former grocery store, as well as Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services.

Crime and Public SafetyMilwaukeeNews

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Milwaukee, WI

Things to do in the Milwaukee area this weekend, including Sports Show

Published

23 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Things to do in the Milwaukee area this weekend, including Sports Show

Travel to Ireland, learn how to catch a fish, visit wildlife at the zoo, and see costumed characters this weekend in Milwaukee.

Anime Milwaukee

The 2026 “Magical Academy” themed animation convention comes to the Baird Center, 400 W. Wisconsin Ave., and Hilton Milwaukee City Center March 6-8. The weekend features Japanese industry guests and cultural experts, artists and official merchandise, gaming, music, dance, manga, cosplay, anime and Asian fashion. New this year is the Nocturna Anime Bar with a lounge and specialty drinks, including nonalcoholic beverages. Exhibit hall hours are 1 to 8 p.m. March 6, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. March 7 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 8. Full weekend access is $100; single day access is $50-$75. animemilwaukee.org

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Sports Show

The 85th year of the Sports Show is at State Fair Park’s Wisconsin Exposition Center, 8200 W. Greenfield Ave., West Allis, from noon to 7 p.m. March 6, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. March 7 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 8. Along with outdoor exhibitors, see what’s swimming in the trout pond, watch the lumberjack show and the fastest retriever race, or catch the archery and air rifle tournaments. General admission tickets at the door are $15; youth tickets (ages 6-14) are $6. In honor of Women’s Day on March 8, all women receive $10 admission at the door. Check out the full schedule at jssportsshow.com.

Gardens & Gears: Steampunk Faire

Celebrate the industrial age at the Gardens & Gears art fair from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 7 at the Mitchell Park Domes, 524 S. Layton Blvd. The immersive garden event features creators, costumes and live entertainment, with gears, goggles and handcrafted mechanical curiosities on display in the gardens. Domes admission required. mitchellparkdomes.com

Milwaukee County Zoo Family Free Day

Everyone receives free admission at the Milwaukee County Zoo, 10001 W. Blue Mound Road, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 7. See the red pandas in their outdoor habitat, lions, penguins and more. Parking and regular attraction fees still apply. milwaukeezoo.org

Irish Family Day

Travel to the Irish countryside during “Passport to Ireland” from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 8 at the CelticMKE Center, 1532 N. Wauwatosa Ave., Wauwatosa. With Irish dance, arts, crafts and storytelling, each county will be featured with an activity that celebrates Irish culture, history and traditions. Buy one, get one free Irish Fest tickets will be available to purchase, with lunch, beverages and snacks served in the Celtic Café. Admission is $10 at the door. celticmke.com

What’s new in Milwaukee-area theaters this weekend

Marcus Theatres: See a marathon of the 2026 Best Picture nominees at select theater locations. Day one of the marathon is March 7 and features “Sentimental Value,” “F1: The Movie,” “The Secret Agent,” “Bugonia,” and “Sinners.” The marathon resumes March 14 with a new set of films. Visit marcustheatres.com.

Milwaukee Film: Women’s History Month programming features the action films of Michelle Yeoh. See her Oscar-winning performance in “Everything Everywhere All At Once” screening at 6 p.m. March 6 at the Oriental Theatre.

“Hoppers”: A robotic animal with a human mind helps real animals thwart a plot to destroy their habitat in this Disney and Pixar feature film. See it at AMC Mayfair Mall; Avalon Theater; Marcus Theatres’ BistroPlex Southridge, Hillside, Majestic, Menomonee Falls, Movie Tavern Brookfield Square, North Shore, Ridge, South Shore cinemas; Rosebud Cinema.

“The Bride!”: A lonely Frankenstein (Christian Bale) travels to 1930s Chicago to ask a scientist (Annette Bening) to create a companion. See it at AMC Mayfair Mall; Marcus Theatres’ BistroPlex Southridge, Hillside, Majestic, Menomonee Falls, Movie Tavern Brookfield Square, North Shore, Ridge, South Shore cinemas.

“Protector”: A veteran war hero (Milla Jovovich) must use the violent skills she thought she left behind to save her daughter. See it at Marcus Theatres’ BistroPlex Southridge, Hillside, Majestic, Menomonee Falls, Movie Tavern Brookfield Square, North Shore, Ridge, South Shore cinemas.

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Milwaukee, WI

MPD officer accused of using Flock cameras to monitor dating partner resigns

Published

1 day ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

MPD officer accused of using Flock cameras to monitor dating partner resigns

Josue Ayala has resigned from the Milwaukee Police Department days after he was charged with a crime over his alleged misuse of license plate-reading Flock technology.

Ayala, 33, pleaded not guilty to one count of attempted misconduct in public office during his initial court appearance on March 4.

The charge is a misdemeanor that carries a potential maximum penalty of nine months in jail and $10,000 fine.

Milwaukee is one in a growing number of communities nationally that have started using Flock cameras to help locate stolen vehicles, identify vehicles used in violent crimes, and track vehicles associated with missing persons. The technology is controversial and been criticized by civil rights and privacy advocates.

Conducting searches for personal reasons is a violation of department policies.

Prosecutors say Ayala used the Flock camera system while on duty more than 120 times to look up the license plate of someone he was dating. They believe Flock technology also was used on a second license plate, one belonging to that person’s ex, 55 times, according to a criminal complaint, filed Feb. 24 in Milwaukee County Circuit Court.

Ayala joined the Milwaukee Police Department in 2017, and his total gross pay was about $120,000 in 2024, according to the most recent city salary data available.

Milwaukee police confirmed in a March 4 email to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Ayala has resigned from the department.

Ayala and his attorney Michael J. Steinle, of Milwaukee, would not speak to reporters as they left the courtroom.

Prosecutors say the department became aware of the allegations against Ayala after a driver saw that they were the subject of searches through the website, www.haveibeenflocked.com, which collects and publishes “audit logs” of searches of the Flock system by police agencies.

The driver saw that Ayala had searched the plate numerous times, which prompted the driver to file a complaint with the Milwaukee Police Department.

Detectives then audited Ayala’s searches in the Flock system from March 26, 2025, through May 26, 2025.

Ayala is at least the second Wisconsin officer to face criminal charges for misuse of the Flock system. A Menasha police officer was charged in January for tracking an ex-girlfriend’s car.

Milwaukee police began using Flock cameras in 2022. MPD has a $182,900 contract with Flock for the use of the technology. That contract is active through January 2027.

Court Commissioner Dewey B. Martin released Ayala on a $2,500 signature bond March 4.

Signature bonds, sometimes referred to as a personal recognizance bond, allow a defendant to leave custody without paying cash as long as they sign a promise to appear for their upcoming court dates.

Martin also ordered Ayala not to contact the two victims in the case.

Ayala also must report to the Milwaukee County Jail to be booked on March 9. If he doesn’t show up, a bench warrant will be issued for his arrest.

Ayala is scheduled to appear for a pre-trial conference on April 17.

David Clarey of the Journal Sentinel contributed to this story.

Chris Ramirez covers courts for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He can be reached at caramirez@usatodayco.com.

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