Milwaukee, WI
‘I’m at peace’: Sister of Milwaukee man killed in road rage incident will pray for now-confessed gunman
Romonia Butler-Foster let deep-seated feelings of anger and acrimony simmer insider her for more than a year.
All of them were directed at Demetreon T. Caston-Townsend, the Milwaukee man who police said gunned down her brother in front of four of his children and sped away.
She felt the same way Monday as she strode into a Milwaukee County courtroom for what was the latest hearing for the accused killer.
Then, it happened: Caston-Townsend, sitting at a defendant’s table, just a few feet away from her, uttered the words she had long awaited.
And just like that, her heart felt differently. Lighter.
“To hear him tell the judge ‘I’m guilty …’ That ‘I’m the one guilty of this crime’ … it was just a release,” said Butler-Foster, 53. “I needed to hear that.”
‘I can breathe again’
On Monday, Caston-Townsend pleaded guilty to second-degree reckless homicide in Ronald “Hollywood” Butler’s July 19, 2022, death.
Police said someone opened fire on his van at Mill Avenue and 89th Street, on the city’s northwest side. Four of Butler’s children — ages 2, 9, and 10-year-old twins at the time — were riding with him when the shooting occurred.
They saw the moment their father died. Caston-Townsend now admits to pulling the trigger and killing Butler as his children looked on.
“I can breathe again because I know the man who is responsible for killing my brother is locked up,” Butler-Foster said.
Ronald Butler’s children witnessed his slaying
According to a criminal complaint, a Chevy Equinox ran a red light at the intersection and nearly collided with Butler’s van.
One of Butler’s sons would later recount for investigators in the complaint how Butler yelled at the other driver to stop speeding because there are kids in the car. That’s when a shot was fired; the son recalled seeing his father slumped over in the driver’s seat.
The van came to a stop after hitting a light pole.
No arrests were made initially; the gunman had eluded police for months. Caston-Townsend was arrested about eight months after the shooting.
Prosecutors dismissed a count of first-degree recklessly endangering safety that Caston-Townsend also faced. That charge still will be read in and considered at sentencing March 29.
Butler-Foster said she leans heavily on her faith to get through the grief of losing her brother, whom she described as a friendly, outgoing protector who doted on family and would “give you the shirt off his back if you needed it.”
Each morning, Butler-Foster passes Graceland Cemetery, at 43rd and Mill, on the way to her job as a school bus driver. Her brother is buried there.
“I tell him ‘Good morning’ every day … (And) I tell him good night every time I pass him on my way home,” she said.
Butler-Foster has been concentrating more on helping raise her brother’s children.
While Butler-Foster says the man Caston-Townsend deserves a long prison sentence, she’s at “a place of peace.” She said she also plans to pray for the killer and his family.
“They’re going to lose their baby,” Butler-Foster said. “I’m gonna put it in God’s hands, because I know I wouldn’t want to go through anything like this.”
“If he doesn’t serve a day in prison, I’m at peace. My brother is resting, and I know he’s looking down on us, watching over us.”
MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee Police Department says it will do monthly reviews of call data to identify nuisance properties.
It follows efforts by a local group that says thousands of properties should have been cited under the city’s nuisance ordinance.
Chronic nuisance property ordinance
What we know:
The ordinance was created in 2001 to address nuisance properties in the city, and the impact they can have on quality of life.
But in recent years, the ordinance has been used less and less.
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It was one of the issues before the steering and rules committee on Monday, June 8, after a push by local group Common Ground.
Milwaukee Common Council Steering and Rules Committee
It was already working on crunching the numbers when federal prosecutors charged one of the largest landlords on the city’s south side, and others, with allegedly running a drug trafficking enterprise through rental properties.
Ultimately, Common Ground says thousands of properties across the city should have been declared a nuisance, but weren’t.
A nuisance premises can be cited if it reaches certain thresholds of calls for service within a period of time and the calls are substantiated.
Milwaukee Common Council Steering and Rules Committee
And if the problem isn’t addressed, it could result in fines.
On Monday, Milwaukee police said it’s a process that takes time, but says it’s changing its procedures and reviewing calls for service each month.
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What they’re saying:
“We’re also doing a deeper dive into that data analysis, requiring all of our district captains to address any, to review those properties and if they choose not to ‘nuisance’ the property that is eligible to be ‘nuisanced,’ why not,” said Milwaukee Police Department Chief of Staff Heather Hough.
It’s important to note that Milwaukee alders urged the importance of residents calling police about nuisance properties, so there is a record to look back on for if or when a property falls under that nuisance ordinance.
The Source: FOX6 attended the Milwaukee Common Council’s Steering and Rules Committee to produce this story.
MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee Common Council Steering & Rules Committee will hold a public hearing on Monday afternoon, June 8, to discuss ongoing crime and safety concerns.
This comes on the heels of an apparent street takeover on Milwaukee’s south side on Sunday night, June 7.
South Side safety
What we know:
Back in April, community leaders and residents on Milwaukee’s south side said crime concerns have left many feeling unsafe, prompting a new effort to address the issue.
Common Ground, a coalition of community members and leaders, launched a South Side Safety Plan after six months of research into crime in the area.
The plan outlines five focus areas: accountability, proactive neighborhoods, police relationships, policy reform and prevention. An action team on the south side is expected to help implement those strategies.
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Common Council President Jose Perez was among the leaders participating in that discussion. He told FOX6 News a public hearing would be held on June 8 to address public safety and what still needs improvement.
On the agenda for Monday’s meeting, Perez sponsored a communication file from Milwaukee police about part two crime data. We are expecting to hear about how the Milwaukee Police Department goes about collecting, assessing and reporting crime data.
“Something is going on that people aren’t reporting crime – and many times we can’t address things if we don’t know about them,” said Common Council President Jose Perez.
The meeting is set for 1:30 p.m. at City Hall.
Apparent street takeover
Dig deeper:
Monday’s meeting comes on the heels of an apparent street takeover on Milwaukee’s south side on Sunday night, June 7.
FOX6 News went to the scene near 13th and Mitchell, where a large crowd gathered – blocking the intersection and stopping traffic in all directions. There were cars speeding and doing donuts and motorcycles swerving. Some cars had people on top of or hanging out of them while in motion.
Several Milwaukee police squads blocked off the area with lights activated as crime scene tape went up across different streets. The scene was active for hours, clearing just before 10 p.m.
MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee police responded to an apparent “street takeover” on the city’s south side Sunday night, June 7.
13th and Mitchell
What we know:
FOX6 News went to the scene near 13th and Mitchell, where a large crowd gathered – blocking the intersection and stopping traffic in all directions. Some vehicles had people on top of or hanging out of them while in motion.
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Several Milwaukee police squads were blocking the area with lights activated. Crime scene tape was seen blocking a few streets in the area.
What we don’t know:
Milwaukee police at the scene would not comment on whether they were investigating the gathering as a street takeover. It’s not clear how many people were involved or whether anyone was arrested, cited or injured.
Apparent street takeover near 12th and Mitchell
Several Puerto Rican flags were spotted in the crowd. Earlier Sunday, a Puerto Rican parade marched down Oklahoma Avenue and a festival was held at Humboldt Park – both events were at least a mile away from 13th and Mitchell. It’s not clear if the apparent takeover involved anyone who was previously at either event.
What is a street takeover?
The backstory:
FOX6 News has covered what local law enforcement and other municipal leaders have described as street takeovers for more than a year. Those leaders have described them as large gatherings that often include huge crowds, speeding cars, burnouts and even fireworks. Often fueled by social media, the takeovers block intersections as the people in the crows watch and perform reckless acts.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
The Source: FOX6 News went to the scene and spoke to Milwaukee police.
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