Olanrewaju Ahmed Dopemu

On a cool spring evening in Milwaukee, the life of Olanrewaju Ahmed Dopemu, a 47-year-old Black male, was tragically cut short. The sun had set on Saturday, March 29, 2025, and the lights of the city were beginning to twinkle. That year, Milwaukee was grappling with a rise in homicides, a grim trend that stood in contrast to national figures. But for Dopemu, a man described as jolly and kind, such statistics were likely far from his mind.

Originally from Nigeria, where he attended Olabisi Onabanjo University, Dopemu had built a life in Milwaukee as a businessman and a dedicated special education teacher with Milwaukee Public Schools. He was a husband and a father to four children, a man known for his calm and cool demeanor. That evening, he was at work at Gig's Petro Pantry, a gas station located at the intersection of 23rd and Fond du Lac. The area was bustling with the typical Saturday night activity, the sound of traffic and the chatter of people filling the air.

Around 7:40 p.m., the ordinary rhythm of the evening was shattered. A group of young people entered the gas station and began taking items from the shelves. As they fled, they dropped some of the stolen goods near the entrance. A co-worker, Joseph Appiah, later recounted the senselessness of what happened next. Dopemu went to retrieve the dropped merchandise. There was no argument, no confrontation. As he bent to pick up the items, he was shot. The sound of gunfire echoed through the gas station, and Olanrewaju Ahmed Dopemu was pronounced dead at the scene.

The news of the homicide sent a shockwave through the community. At a local meeting, residents mourned the loss of a man they described as well-respected and dedicated. Those who knew him struggled to comprehend the violent end to a life defined by kindness. His co-worker, surrounded by the bullet-proof glass of the gas station, expressed his profound sadness, saying of Dopemu, "this guy was so cool, calm." The investigation into the shooting began immediately, with the Milwaukee Police Department searching for the person or people responsible for this random act of violence.

The case did not remain unsolved for long. In the months that followed, investigators were able to identify a suspect. A 16-year-old named Jerry Cook was arrested in connection with the homicide. In September 2025, Cook pleaded guilty to a charge of 1st-degree reckless homicide. Two months later, in November, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison, followed by 15 years of extended supervision. He was also ordered to pay restitution.

While the legal chapter of Olanrewaju Ahmed Dopemu's death has closed, the personal one for his family and community remains open. A funeral was held, but the obituary that might have detailed the richness of his life was not made public. What is known is that a beloved educator, a husband, and a father is gone, another victim of the gun violence that plagued Milwaukee in 2025. The case stands as a stark reminder of the human cost behind the city's homicide statistics, a life of kindness and dedication brought to a sudden and violent end over a handful of stolen items.